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Peninsula Pulse August 21-28, 2020

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In this issue

  • Obituary: Patricia (Pat) Martin

    August 9, 2020 Patricia (Pat) Martin died 92 years young on August 9, 2020.  She left Scandia Village for a dancing date with Jack, who preceded her in death in March, 2017. She was born and raised in Chicago, but spent most of her life in Appleton and Sister Bay, Wisconsin.  Pat graduated from the […]

  • Made in Door County

    In April, during a time of isolation and social distancing, a company with a vision to unify and promote the Door County business community was established. Made in Door County aims to provide a robust platform for local businesses to share their products with Door County lovers near and far. “If you have ever visited […]

  • Sales Surpass Expectations at Local Galleries

    Sales at Door County art galleries have surpassed expectations for a season constricted by COVID-19. “The key is low expectations,” said JR Jarosh at Edgewood Orchard Galleries south of Fish Creek. “We didn’t know what the season would hold in store, so we have been pleasantly surprised that we have had good traffic; people have […]

  • Challenge Walk for Multiple Sclerosis

    On Sept. 25-27, more than 120 people will walk up to 50 miles throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest in support of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society. Together, they’re expected to raise more than $150,000. The annual Challenge Walk MS helps to fund cutting-edge research to stop disease progression, restore lost function and end MS […]

  • Sunshine Resources Cancels Sunflower Fest

    Sunshine Resources has canceled its annual Sunflower Fest, scheduled for Sept. 12, to help protect the safety of all possible attendees.  “We will all miss enjoying a day at Martin Park, listening and dancing to great music, shopping from the bake sale, bidding on the silent-auction items and spending time with our clients, staff and […]

  • NWS to Sell Merchandise at Kick Ash Coffee

    Because the pandemic has closed the Newport State Park visitors’ center since mid-March, the Newport Wilderness Society (NWS, friendsofnewport.org) – the park’s official friends group – has lost an important revenue stream in the form of merchandise sales to park visitors. But NWS board member Carol Ash has come to the rescue, generously offering space in […]

  • Aureliuses Receive Puppy Through Make-A-Wish Foundation

    On July 27, six-year-old Marjorie Aurelius and her mother, Lauren Aurelius, visited the Door County Cooperative Country Store, 317 Green Bay Road in Sturgeon Bay, to stock up on supplies for their new Goldendoodle puppy, Rue. They received Rue through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and they also received a Door County Cooperative account with $500 that […]

  • United Way Kicks Off Annual Campaign

    United Way of Door County recently kicked off its 2020 annual campaign virtually with a message of strength. “These past months have been challenging for everyone,” said Executive Director Amy Kohnle. “We feel extremely fortunate to be part of a community as caring and giving as Door County. Here in Door County, there is no […]

  • League of Women Voters to Host Car Parade

    The League of Women Voters of Door County will host a car parade in Sturgeon Bay on Aug. 26, 11:30 am – 1 pm, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote. Cars will line up north of Jefferson and 3rd avenues and begin […]

  • Featured Pet: Ferb

    Meet Ferb (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=45054171), a 10-month-old kitten who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. Since being found in a shed and treated for a severe ear infection, this friendly feline is feeling much better and is looking for a family to play with all day long and a nice window […]

  • Letter to the Editor: In a Word

    Recently I was introduced to a word I had not heard before. It might be new to some of you as well. The word is “kakistocracy.” It’s on page 980 of my American Heritage Dictionary. It’s a noun that derives from the Greek. The definition is “government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.” […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Destroy the Bridges, Burn the Villages

    Warlords, for thousands of years, have employed the tactic of destroying bridges and burning villages when they feared defeat: Slow down the opponent by forcing him to find a way around the bridges. Then make sure he finds nothing but ashes when he takes control of the villages. Trump is employing that tactic today. Destroy […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Fair Redistricting: 72 Percent of Wisconsin Voters Want It

    In these divisive political times, it should be impossible to get 72 percent of Wisconsin voters to agree on anything, but Wisconsinites’ desire for fair redistricting may be the exception.  According to a 2019 Marquette University Law School poll, 72 percent of Wisconsin voters prefer redistricting of legislative and congressional districts to be performed by […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Fire the Apprentice!

    The definition of an apprentice is: 1. One bound by legal agreement to work for another for a specific amount of time in return for instruction in a trade, art or business; 2. Any beginner or learner. Donald Trump needs to be fired. He took an oath on the day of his inauguration to uphold […]

  • Letter to the Editor: United Methods Required to Beat COVID-19

    Recently, when I was watching a news update on COVID-19, suddenly one word resounded in my head: “united.” Our nation’s full name is the United States of America. By definition, “unite” means “to put together to form a single unit, to cause to adhere, to link by a legal or moral bond, one or as […]

  • Letter to the Editor: The $600 Unemployment Booster and the GOP’s Miserliness

    Unemployment Insurance (UI) was established in 1935 to provide unemployed workers with temporary, partial wage replacement and stimulate the economy. Mike Gallagher, Ron Johnson and most Republicans claim they can’t support the coronavirus relief bill because they fear the additional $600 per week paid to the unemployed will encourage them not to return to work. […]

  • Editor’s Note: News Versus Opinion

    Anyone who reads the Pulse will know that we have a robust letters page. When I got here almost three months ago, I was shocked to see the letters pouring in, week after week after week.  It’s not just me who will tell you that when a newspaper has a strong opinion page with regular […]

  • Mann’s: ‘The Store Where You Can Always Get It’

    There are likely a number of isolated areas in the country that have access to just one grocery store, but it’s not likely that anywhere else can match Washington Island’s record of having the same store for 117 years, run by five generations of the same family.  In 1902, 21-year-old George O. Mann went to […]

  • Poll Worker Shortage Anticipated for November Election

    Door County Clerk Jill Lau said she’s anticipating that 85 percent of Door County’s 20,436 voters will turn out for the November election. Although more than usual may opt for mail-in ballots, “We already know we may be experiencing a shortage of poll workers,” Lau said. To learn how to become a poll worker, contact […]

  • Fish On

    The City of Sturgeon Bay has waived launch-pass fees for competitors and event staff working on and participating in the 2020  Fishing League Worldwide tournament in Sturgeon Bay Aug. 24-29.  The catch, photograph and release contest will feature 50 anglers fishing in two groups on multiple days, and people can watch live on social media.  […]

  • Ballistic Helmets, Visors Purchased

    The Sturgeon Bay Common Council accepted a $7,274.03 donation from Door County Adopt a Soldier to purchase eight ballistic helmets and 23 nonballistic visors for the Sturgeon Bay Police Department. No discussion preceded the decision as it was approved with numerous other items on the consent agenda.

  • Sturgeon Bay Becomes an Ice Age Trail Community

    The Ice Age Trail (IAT) is a 1,200-mile-long hiking trail with an eastern terminus in Potawatomi State Park. It travels through Sturgeon Bay and extends across Wisconsin, ending on the Minnesota border at the city of St. Croix Falls. It’s one of only 11 National Scenic Trails in the country and one of only three […]

  • Nearly One-third of Local Households Struggle to Make Ends Meet

    New report shows many faced financial insecurity before COVID-19 Thirty-one percent of Door County’s households are struggling to afford basic necessities such as housing, child care, food, transportation and internet access. That statistic and others were reported in the state’s third ALICE report, released recently by United Way of Wisconsin in partnership with United for […]

  • Egg Harbor Approves Conditions for Condo Development

    The Village of Egg Harbor’s Plan Commission approved the proposal for the Village View Residences condominium and retail project Aug. 18.  The project includes 14 residences and two retail units on the parcel where Mueller’s Mini Mart now stands. The village included several conditions on the project as part of the conditional use permit, including […]

  • It’s Not Too Early to Request a Mail-in Ballot

    Mail-in voting cited as cause of record turnout for primary election in Door County. Meanwhile, U.S. Postal Service changes being walked back until after November election. Election Day is coming earlier and earlier for voters whose appetites for vote-by-mail ballots have increased. And the earlier, the better is the advice given to local voters about […]

  • Tower Repair Gains Support

    Additional support for the repair of the tower at Potawatomi State Park has materialized during the past week, with the latest coming from the Sturgeon Bay Common Council Tuesday evening. With Alder David Hayes absent, that support came through a rare tie vote broken by Mayor David Ward’s “yes” on a resolution that strongly encouraged […]

  • Town Hall Meeting for Businesses

    Door County Public Health and Door County Medical Center will host a virtual town hall meeting via Zoom on Aug. 25, 3 pm. During the meeting, officials will review their recommendations to businesses about the public-health process and best practices for what to do when an employee or customer tests positive for COVID-19.   Business owners […]

  • West Waterfront Promenade Project Awarded

    A working waterfront that provides public access will soon be more than just drawings on paper now that the Sturgeon Bay Common Council has selected a contractor to build the West Waterfront Promenade.  The job went to Triple P, doing business in Green Bay as Peters Concrete Company, and its bid of $1,384,552. The cost […]

  • Alumni Door County Profile: Johnny Gomez

    A grand pursuit of the American Dream brought Johnny Gomez 5,500 miles from Nicaragua to Sevastopol School, where he graduated in 2015. His journey to graduation was far from ordinary, and his story – which is still being written – is already enormously inspiring. Gomez was born to Nicaraguan parents, Octavio and Vera, and grew up in […]

  • Department of Conversation: Longtime Coffee Klatch Goes Alfresco

    by Michael Shaw, Peninsula Pulse contributor Neither rain, nor wind, nor the threat of a potentially deadly contagious disease could keep these men from their appointed grounds – coffee grounds, that is. Except for about the first month of Wisconsin’s coronavirus shutdown in the spring, the regular morning coffee klatch of senior-aged men at Sturgeon […]

  • Golf League Results: Aug. 21, 2020

    IDLEWILD Ladies’ Sundowners Golf League Aug. 12, 2020 • Top 10 golfers: Anna Larsen 44, Mary Aiken 45, Amy Konop 45, Lynn Kranich 46, Pat Krueger 49, Rita Hunt 50, Kim Bridenhagen 50, Carey Potier 54, Pam DeMelle 57, Mary Ann Miller 57 • Pars: Amy Konop 4, Anna Larsen 3, Mary Aiken 3, Kim Bridenhagen 1, […]

  • What Does It Mean to “Not Like Musicals”? 

    We all have friends or family members who – 10 minutes into a movie, when the first character opens his or her mouth to sing – exclaim, “Ugh, I didn’t know this was a musical!” as if the movie had suddenly deceived them. “I don’t like musicals!” they cry, swatting the popcorn bowl from their lap […]

  • Wild Things: Eligible Disabled Hunters May Apply for a Shot at Deer

    More than 70 landowners are opening thousands of acres of private land for a special October gun deer hunt for eligible hunters. Lands are open in 41 counties this year, including two properties in Kewaunee County and some larger parcels in Manitowoc and Outagamie counties. The rest are scattered across the state.  To be eligible, […]

  • Framed: Cally Asher and Geraldine

    When members of the Sevastopol School District’s maintenance department were cleaning out the attic in the 1924 section of the building, they came upon a picture of a young girl holding a cherry pie. She was a Sevastopol graduate named Geraldine who was also the Wisconsin cherry pie champion. One of the district’s current teachers, […]

  • Manners Matter: Apologize When You Injure Someone

    Dear Mary Pat, My friend and I were sending texts back and forth to each other, complaining about another mutual friend and how annoying she can be. After a few messages, I realized that the friend we were complaining about was on the same text feed.  I instantly felt sick to my stomach. I reread […]

  • Server of the Week: Monique McCormack at Blue Horse Beach Cafe

    Peninsula Pulse (PP): If you could eat/drink only one menu item at Blue Horse for the rest of your life, what would it be? Monique McCormack (MM): Chuck Norris latte with sea salt on top. It’s an elite order, and whoever gets it automatically has my respect. PP: What is your biggest pet peeve about […]

  • Know Your Grower: Egg Harbor Natural Gardens

    Myles and Mary Dannhausen started their garden on the corner of Maple Tree Road and Heritage Lake Road in Egg Harbor out of necessity. With six kids to feed and money scarce when they moved to the property in 1983, they began growing their own food and raising animals long before it was hip.  The […]

  • Midsummer’s Music Offers Live Chamber Music Online

    The Midsummer’s Music annual concert series has adapted to the times by using technology to celebrate its 30th anniversary and deliver chamber music to audiences near and far through livestreaming.  During the first week of August, the group began using its website, Facebook page and YouTube channel to livestream performances every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday […]

  • Rediscovering ‘The Giving Tree’ as a Mother

    by Victoria Kleidon-Linstrom When I was a child, books were more than a hobby – they were my personality. The command to “go outside and play” was used by my parents as a punishment, so when trying to choose one singular book as the most influential in my life, the task seemed insurmountable. However, there is […]

  • Meeting on Hybrid Learning Options Aug. 23

    A public informational meeting to discuss hybrid learning options for high school students will be held Aug. 23, 6 pm, at Martin Park in Sturgeon Bay. Attendees should take a lawn chair and follow safety guidelines for public spaces. A pod learning concept is being organized by some Sturgeon Bay High School families because of […]

  • Green Notes: Groundwater Study

    The UW-Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center is seeking Door County private well owners to participate in a groundwater study this fall. Well owners should register by filling out a form at uwo.sh/doorco-wells by Sept. 11. The study aims to educate well owners about the importance of testing well water and to build a local […]

  • Green Notes: Deer Control on Plum Island

    The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is partnering with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to implement a Nuisance Deer Control Program on Plum Island. Controlling the overabundance of deer there will have a positive effect on forest regeneration and the rare plant community of this alvar ecosystem. Hunters will harvest a maximum of 30 […]

  • Green Notes: Door County Nature Week

    Join Door County resident Martha Luber Pelrine to celebrate 60 years of The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) work in Wisconsin as she hosts Door County Nature Week, Aug. 24-28. A four-part video series will highlight the natural beauty of the county. Hear from TNC staff about the peninsula’s flowers, migratory birds and groundwater; the Niagara Escarpment; […]

  • Ecology: A Business Model in a Name

    Alicia Kersebet – co-owner of Ecology in Sister Bay – was raised with the value of having a relationship with the environment. Her parents, Nancy and Marty Drury, first housed the outdoor equipment and retail store in the basement of their Manitowoc home in 1972. Their philosophy from the start was to not only sell […]

  • Through the Filter of Human Memory

    Painter Sophie Perry aims to emanate familiarity Last summer, as I was enjoying a delicious soup-and-baguette combo at the now-bygone Base Camp Coffee, I found myself captivated by a series of paintings displayed on the cafe’s walls. The places depicted in the oil paintings looked familiar in a way, as though I might once have […]

  • Baseball Playoffs Turned Upside Down

    The top two seeds in the Door County Baseball Tournament playoffs lost in the first round Sunday, setting up a championship game between Kolberg and West Jacksonport for Sunday, Aug. 23, 1:30 pm, in Baileys Harbor.  Kolberg beat top-seeded Egg Harbor 6-2 behind pitcher Trevor Reinhardt’s 12 strikeouts. West Jacksonport stunned Sister Bay, winning 6-4 […]

  • The Iconic Island Burger: The “Alby” at the Albatross

    The staff members at the family-owned and -operated Albatross Drive-In on Washington Island know a thing or two about running a business on “island time” as they move through its 44th season. A sign posted on the window reads:  Warning We are not fast!  We are good,  We are cheerful,  We are courteous,  But we […]

  • Night Market Extended into September, October

    After the success of the Under the Stars Night Market, Destination Sturgeon Bay has decided to extend the market to be open Sept. 12, 19 and 26 and Oct. 3, 10 and 17. Parking and vehicular traffic will be restricted on 3rd Avenue every Saturday, 4-10 pm. Masks are required within the Night Market boundaries. […]

  • Pollinator Week, Pollenpoluza at Crossroads

    Crossroads at Big Creek (2041 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay, crossroadsatbigcreek.org) has declared the week of Aug. 23-29 to be Crossroads Pollinator Week. Socially distanced, outdoor activities and educational outreach will focus on wild and domestic bees, butterflies and other pollinators.  The week will culminate with POLLENPOLUZA, an Aug. 29 afternoon event featuring monarch tagging, […]

  • Explore Nature – Day and Night – at The Ridges

    Join a Ridges Sanctuary naturalist for a relaxing, informative, two-hour walk through the sanctuary during one of its guided hikes, Tuesday through Friday, 10 am. The hikes are appropriate for all ages and include the Upper Range Light lantern room and historic cabins. Meet at the Cook-Albert Fuller Nature Center, 8166 Hwy 57 in Baileys […]

  • Beach of the Week: Fish Creek Beach

    Fish Creek’s designated swimming beach is a summer hotspot and a great place to swim, watch the boats, eat a carryout lunch or take in the sunset. Its location within the central part of downtown Fish Creek means you’re close to everything and can easily walk to shops, restaurants and lodging. The large, grassy area […]

  • DCA Cancels Rest of 2020 Season

    The Door Community Auditorium (DCA) has canceled the remainder of its 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the canceled shows have been or will be rescheduled for 2021.  DCA had previously shifted to a fall-centered season, hoping the pandemic would abate sufficiently to allow for socially distanced performances, but Wisconsin’s recent […]

  • Birch Creek Receives Arts Board Grant

    Birch Creek (birchcreek.org) has received a grant from the WAB CARES program of the Wisconsin Arts Board (WAB), which is providing emergency support to arts organizations affected by the pandemic. The grants help to fund salary support, fees for artists and costs for programs and/or facilities. “These one-time funds will help our arts groups remain […]

  • Renard Memorial Annual Cheesehead Open Ends

    Eighteen years ago, the Carrie Ann Renard Memorial Annual Cheesehead Open was established to celebrate her memory and raise funds to benefit organizations that she and the Renard family were passionate about. With community support, more than $170,000 has been donated to the Southern Door girls athletics program and DoorCANcer over the years. The Renard […]

  • Red Putter’s Non-Tournament Results

    Rocky Marciano of Sister Bay had an impressive showing during the 2020 Red Putter NON-Tournament. Marciano won with a three-round score of 106 (33, 38, 35), earning himself bragging rights forever because the Red Putter hopes this will be the one and only NON-Tournament and looks forward to the Pro Tournament’s return on Aug. 7, […]

  • Bellin, DCMC to Host Free COVID Testing Aug. 27

     Community invited for no-cost drive-up tests Bellin Health and Door County Medical Center will team up for a no-cost drive-up COVID-19 testing event from 10 am – 6 pm, Thursday, Aug. 27 at the Door County Fairgrounds, 812 N. 14th Ave., Sturgeon Bay. The event is open to everyone, whether or not they are experiencing […]

  • Obituary: David John Buhk

    July 30, 1989 ~ August 14, 2020 David John Buhk, 31, of Sturgeon Bay, died August 14, 2020 while at his home. He was born July 30, 1989 in Milwaukee, the son of John and Chris Buhk. David was baptized at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Jacksonport (now Stella Maris Parish-Jacksonport site). He attended Sturgeon […]

  • Obituary: Jacqueline Florence Simonar

    August 2, 1999 ~ August 14, 2020 Jacqueline Florence Simonar, 21, of Sturgeon Bay, died at home Friday morning, August 14, 2020 surrounded by her family. She was born August 2, 1999 in Sturgeon Bay, the daughter of Mark Edward Simonar and Michelle Ann (Sauermilch) Simonar. Jacqueline loved going to school, learning and being with […]

  • Virtual Alzheimer’s Education Conference Aug. 20

    As Door County’s elderly population grows, so does the number of people and caregivers who are dealing with the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s disease. An estimated 926 Door County residents are now diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia – a figure that’s expected to rise to more than 1,500 by 2040, according to data from the Alzheimer’s […]

  • Obituary: Edward M. Felhofer

    Edward Martin Felhofer, 73, of Sturgeon Bay, died on August 13, 2020, at Sturgeon Bay Health Services after a courageous battle with Leukemia.  He was born on January 31, 1947, in Sturgeon Bay to Wallace “Bud” and Myrtle (Martens) Felhofer. Edward graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1965 and graduated from Lawrence University.  Ed […]

  • Obituary: Kenneth Schmidtke

    March 23, 1932 ~ August 13, 2020 Kenneth John Schmidtke, 88, of Sturgeon Bay, died on Aug. 13, 2020.  He was born March 23, 1932 in Sturgeon Bay to John and Dora (Wolske) Schmidtke. Ken served his country in the United States Army for two years during the Korean War.  On Oct. 19, 1963 he […]

  • Obituary: Linda M. Magle

    January 17, 1959 ~ August 10, 2020 Linda M. Magle, 61, of Sturgeon Bay died at her home on Monday, August 10, 2020. She was born January 17, 1959 in Kewaunee the daughter of the late Richard and Marion (Marchant) Alsteen. Linda graduated from Luxemburg Casco High School and the NWTC nursing aide program. She […]