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Peninsula Pulse August 5-12, 2022

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In this issue

  • Registrations Open for New School Year

    Gibraltar is hosting a back-to-school night Sept. 1, 3-5 pm. During this time, parents can drop off students’ school supplies, meet teachers, visit classrooms, leave any medications with the school nurse and have parent meetings. 4K orientation will take place at 5 pm at Gibraltar and the Northern Door Children’s Center. Parents who are unable […]

  • Board Aiming for Voter Support for Southern Door Schools

    Survey and discussions encourage two referendum items for fall ballot A survey this summer encouraged the Southern Door School Board and superintendent to continue pursuing a $14.9 million capital-improvement project as well as an operational-funding referendum. The board met Aug. 8 to further discuss the survey results and to decide which construction, renovation and demolition […]

  • Residents Call for Expanding Aquatic-plant Management

    Residents who live in the Memorial Drive area – where the growth of aquatic weeds during the summer is among the most problematic in the bay of Sturgeon Bay – are calling on the city to make managing those plants more of a priority. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council heard from some of those residents […]

  • Board Backs New Building for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding

    Plans for Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding to construct a new, 65-foot-by-300-foot building along 3rd Avenue were approved Monday by Sturgeon Bay’s Aesthetic Design and Site Plan Review Board. The company stated in its application seeking approval for the new building and related site work that the project is needed to add production capabilities and capacity at […]

  • Baileys Harbor Approves Fiber Project Agreement

    A competing company makes a pitch for a buried fiber network The Baileys Harbor Town Board approved a fiber project agreement with internet service provider (ISP) Nsight Telservices during an Aug. 8 town board meeting. The agreement delineated Nsight’s and the town’s responsibilities for the upcoming broadband project, which will provide high-speed internet to every […]

  • Meeting to Watch: Aug. 15, Southern Door School District

    A survey this summer encouraged the Southern Door School Board and superintendent to continue pursuing a $14.9 million capital-improvement project as well as an operational-funding referendum. The board met Aug. 8 to further discuss the survey results and decide which construction, renovation and demolition projects to pursue. On Monday, Aug. 15, the board will formally […]

  • Save the Date for League of Women Voters’ Car Parade

    Back by popular demand, the League of Women Voters of Door County’s car parade will be held Friday, Aug. 26 – on Women’s Equality Day – to celebrate the passage of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women’s constitutional right to vote.  Sturgeon Bay will again host the car parade, starting with the noon tolling of the […]

  • K-9 Leo Going to Oconto County

    Door County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Pat McCarty reported in July to the Door County Judiciary and Public Safety Committee that K-9 Leo – who joined the department in October 2021 – and his handler, Deputy Matthew Tassoul, were not a good fit. Oconto County will take Leo, and the handler will go to training in […]

  • Salary Increases Considered for Fire Captains, Assistant Chiefs

    At the Mid-Door Fire Department’s annual meeting, members of the Ephraim, Gibraltar and Baileys Harbor volunteer fire departments met with the town chairs of those three municipalities. The discussion resulted in a suggested $250 yearly salary increase for fire captains and a $500 yearly salary increase for assistant chiefs.  Fire chiefs’ salaries are reviewed for […]

  • Door County Candle Company Sets New Goal to Benefit Ukraine

    Door County Candle Company has announced that it’s doubling down its “Light to Unite” donation efforts to meet a $1 million donation goal on or before Ukraine’s national Independence Day, Aug. 24. To date, Christiana Gorchynsky Trapani, owner of Door County Candle Company and a second-generation Ukrainian American, has donated $700,000 from the profits of […]

  • New One-way Block in Fish Creek

    Spruce Street in downtown Fish Creek will become the Town of Gibraltar’s first one-way street – or at least one block of a street. Motorists will no longer be able to travel south on the street to Main Street/Highway 42 once the new signage goes up this month. The two lanes on Spruce from Maple […]

  • Sturgeon Bay Says New Power Line Narrows Buildable Land

    Resolution sought with American Transmission Company to enable Sturgeon Bay Terrace project to proceed Given the limited amount of buildable space on the West Waterfront next to the Maple-Oregon Street Bridge, the location where American Transmission Company (ATC) routed a high-voltage power line in that area to go under the bay of Sturgeon Bay could […]

  • Go South to the Roundabout to Go North

    Education efforts needed to help change local driving behaviors Preventing car crashes means, in part, engineering safe roads and intersections. Law enforcement helps by writing tickets to try to change motorists’ behavior.  But there’s a third leg of that crash-prevention stool called education, and that’s often missing, said Randy Wiesinger, a liaison/consultant for WisDOT’s Bureau […]

  • Door County’s Most Dangerous Intersections

    Gordon Road/County BB and Highway 42/57 are eighth on the list A lot of attention has been given to the traffic-safety issues at the intersection of Gordon Road/County BB and Highway 42/57 in the Town of Sevastopol, where the Culver’s restaurant is located. There’s good reason for that, said Mason Simmons, a traffic-safety engineer with […]

  • Local Officials Resolve to Make Culver’s Intersection Safer

    Motorists quickly learn they’re in for a wait if they’re trying to head north on Highway 42/57 from Gordon Road/County BB at the Culver’s restaurant intersection. Those who feel they can’t wait take risks when patience runs out. As a result, the intersection is fraught with near misses, horn blowing and so far this year, […]

  • Tourism Holds Steady through May

    Room-tax data through May tells a story that meshes with what business owners are saying they’re feeling anecdotally: Business is down a bit from 2021, but still ahead of its 2019 pace, and that’s just fine for most of them.  Through May – the latest month for which room-tax data is available (reporting lags about […]

  • Door County Voters Mirror Statewide Primary Election Results

    Wisconsinites selected their parties’ candidates for the general election during the partisan primary Aug. 9, and in most cases, Door County results mirrored the decisions made by voters statewide. Voters went to the polls to settle primary contests for governor and other statewide races, as well as races for Congress, the state Legislature and local […]

  • Food Trucks and Floaties at Anclam Park Saturday

    Bring your floaties and your appetites to Anclam Park Saturday, Aug. 13, for the return of Food Trucks and Floaties to Baileys Harbor. Visit Wally’s Weenie Wagon, the Lumberjack Taco Shack, The Dough Shoppe and other local food trucks when they gather at Anclam Park on the south end of town. Enjoy the food, the […]

  • Kitchens, Michels, Barnes Win Tuesday Primaries

    Assembly District 1 incumbent Joel Kitchens easily defeated a primary challenge from Milt Swagel of Kewaunee. Kitchens earned 78% of the vote and will face Democratic challenger Roberta Thelen in November’s general election. Tim Michels, who poured millions of his own dollars into his race for Governor, defeated Rebecca Kleefisch in Tuesday’s Republican primary, taking […]

  • Kraus Wins Red Jacket at Red Putter Pro Tourney

    Matthew Kraus is the proud winner of the 2022 Red Putter Pro Tournament. Kraus took home the red jacket Saturday, Aug. 6 when he topped 71 players in the grueling heat of Ephraim. Kraus tallied a 3-round score of 106, earning the $2,000 prize. He also won in 2019 and took second in 2021. Zach […]

  • Door County Fair Aug. 10-14, 2022

    Fun returns to the Door County Fairgrounds in Sturgeon Bay this week. Check out When the carnival rides hum to life, the sweet smell of funnel cakes wafts through the air, and the county’s youth unload their pigs, cows and crafts along the midway at the Door County Fairgrounds Aug. 10-14. Enjoy the rides of […]

  • DCL BASEBALL: Field of Dreams

    I’m writing this during my vacation in Boston, where one of my must-dos was to watch my beloved Red Sox play the Brewers at Fenway Park – one of the most historic and beautiful parks in all of sports. While sitting in the stadium, I couldn’t help but think of the fields in the Door […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Our Late Friend, Francha Barnard

    Francha Barnard, for her part, knew where she was going. And if you chose to stand in her way, though she may have been just a fraction of your height and weight, she might tell you where to go as well. And no, I won’t go for the obvious rhyme by suggesting “to hell,” but […]

  • Letter to the Editor: A Tribute to a Friend: Francha Barnard

    Baileys Harbor lost one of our own last week. You might have seen her walking around town – a little lady, in all kinds of weather, striding through a town she loved.  Francha had her hands, thoughts, beliefs and convictions in many endeavors. You might have observed her in action at our town meetings over the […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Whittling

    The more mature I get, the more life whittles away at me. First, it was my hearing. I find myself saying, “Pardon me” often.  Recently, I gave myself a self eye exam in Baileys Harbor, the town where I live, on the signage of the new building in town. I sat across the street with […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Not a Fan of New Signage

    Congratulations, Baileys Harbor! You win, hands down. I felt Sister Bay held the title easily with our top-of-the-bluff tenements (not bad-looking buildings, but, like tenements in Chicago, too many buildings in too little space, destroying our village bluff) and our two big warehouse buildings, far out of proportion with the rest of the village. Then […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Three Questions

    For many decades, we Americans have behaved as if there were no meaningful differences between our political parties and as if our lives in a democracy were secure. In 2022, we no longer have that luxury. Every vote in November will count. Here are three potentially life-changing questions you should ask before you vote: 1. […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Ron Johnson Has the Answers

    Sen. Baldwin, why don’t we hear anything about the chaos at the Mexican border? Do you agree it is a crisis? Why aren’t the immigrants being tested for COVID-19? Are they being searched for drugs? Why are we giving freebies to immigrants, yet we ignore the homeless veterans and our poor? Why are we using […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Thoughts on President Biden’s Plan to Fight Climate Change

    “Our children and grandchildren are counting on us,” said President Biden during a speech where he also unveiled a $2.3 billion plan to fight climate change. “If we don’t keep [climate change] below 1.5 degrees Celsius, we lose it all. We don’t get to turn it around.”  It is absolutely true that future generations’ health […]

  • Fall Hunt Sign-Up for Hunters with Disabilities

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) advises those who are eligible to participate in the 2022 gun deer hunt for hunters with disabilities to determine availability and confirm their hunting location with a hunt sponsor as early as possible, but before Sept. 1, because some properties can accommodate more hunters than others. Hunters or […]

  • Land Trust Gathering Celebrates Conservation Efforts

    Door County Land Trust will host its annual gathering for its members and the public Aug. 21, 3-6:30 pm, at the conservation-easement property of Sandy and Ed Miller, 2401 E. Meadow in Baileys Harbor. The event will include an introduction of the Land Trust’s new executive director, Emily Wood, who most recently served as executive […]

  • Provide Input for The Ridges’ Master Plan

    The Ridges Sanctuary is hosting a summit Aug. 5-6 to discuss its master plan for the next 20 years. Ridges staff and board members, as well as representatives from its design team, SmithGroup and PROS Consulting, will attend. An open house is planned at ​​The Ridges Sanctuary, 8166 Hwy 57 in Baileys Harbor, for Aug. […]

  • Clearing the Waters

    Aquatic trash boat scooping up marine debris all summer long To the best of scientists’ knowledge, there is no version of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in the Great Lakes, but that doesn’t mean everyone is waiting until a huge trash vortex accumulates to address marine debris.  “People see the big pictures in the ocean, […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Lilly

    Lilly is a wonderful, 3½-year-old dog who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. This fun gal enjoys frolicking in the water and playing ball.  Like all dogs at WHS, Lilly (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=50692698) has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, and she goes home with a certificate for a free veterinary exam […]

  • GEO-DC Capital Campaign Starts with a Dance

    The Greater Escarpment Organization of Door County (GEO-DC) is launching its capital campaign – to raise funds to build an educational center at the top of the hill in Ellison Bay – during a dinner and dance Aug. 25 at the Fernwood Gardens Ballroom at Mr. G’s, 5890 Hwy 57 south of Jacksonport. The evening will […]

  • Sons of Norway Picnic Moves Inside

    The Sons of Norway H.R. Holand Lodge in Sturgeon Bay will hold its Aug. 8 picnic at Bay View Lutheran Church, 340 West Maple St. in Sturgeon Bay. Social hour will start at 11 am, and lunch will follow. Questions? Call 920.743.8992 and leave a message.

  • $26,000 Awarded During July 100+WWC Event

    The 100+ Women Who Care (100+WWC) of Door County recognized and awarded grants to three local nonprofits during the organization’s July giving event. In four years, the circle has grown to 366 givers and has awarded more than $328,000 to 41 nonprofit organizations.   Door County Partnership for Children and Families received the 100+WWC main award […]

  • Red Cross Seeks Disaster Action Team Volunteers

    Every day, people are forced from their home because of fires, storms and other disasters, and compassionate, committed Disaster Action Team volunteers respond day and night to meet the immediate needs of their neighbors. Volunteers carry out 90% of the service provided by the American Red Cross, so they are obviously vital. Currently, teams are […]

  • AMVETS Post 51 Commander Sworn In

    AMVETS Post 51 recently held its installation of officers for 2022-23. (From left) State of Wisconsin Commander Dale Weigand swore in Bill Forry,  Post 51 commander for this year. Weigand was elected state commander during the state convention in June in Green Bay.

  • Norma Bramsen Honored for 60 Years in P.E.O.

    During the recent Wisconsin state convention of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), Norma Bramsen of Chapter EJ in Sister Bay was recognized for her 60 years of service and leadership, working relentlessly to raise scholarship and loan money for women to pursue their educational dreams in college, technical schools or certification programs. P.E.O. started as a […]

  • Grants Available for Home-Based Child Care Providers

    Door County families rely heavily on home-based child care providers to care for young children, so their work is very important.  Now current and future home-based child care providers may apply for a grant through United Way of Door County – funded by the Women’s Fund of Door County – that’s intended to support high-quality, accessible, affordable […]

  • Kite Day in Sister Bay

    The skies over the soccer field at the Sister Bay Sports Complex were bursting with color July 16 when members of the Wisconsin Kiters Club flew large, brightly colored kites during the first annual Kite Day. More than 250 people attended to see the kites bob and weave through the air.  One hundred kids of […]

  • In Memoriam: Francha Barnard

    Editor’s Note: Poetry is something readers of the Peninsula Pulse are accustomed to finding in our Literature section. It’s not something they’ll come across in our Community section – at least not 99% of the time. This week, we’re changing that up. Francha Barnard of Baileys Harbor – a poet, community activist, enthusiastic volunteer and supporter of […]

  • Sailboat Restorer Eager to Sail

    And tell the story of the boat he’s been working on for more than 30 years Dan McNeil has been rebuilding a historical sailboat since 1988. This year, he set a goal of finally getting the boat into the water in time for the annual Wooden Boat Show in Sturgeon Bay. McNeil had the boat […]

  • Clearing Out Woldt’s Corner

    To make room for the construction of a new, three-unit commercial building with a drive-through that will include a Starbucks at the southwest corner of Highway 42/57 and Duluth Avenue in Sturgeon Bay, one of the cottages that had been removed behind the former Woldt’s Corner Pub was for sale through DeVooght House Lifters while […]

  • Kwik Trip Store Takes Shape

    The scale of the Kwik Trip development on Egg Harbor Road in Sturgeon Bay is visible as the store-and-car-wash site takes shape.  The development encompasses roughly 4.5 acres and required the purchase of seven separate properties that fronted the 1500 and 1600 blocks of Egg Harbor Road and the 1600 block of Alabama Street. Those […]

  • New Ace Location Getting Finishing Touches

    The new space for Sturgeon Bay’s Ace Hardware store on Egg Harbor Road, across from McDonald’s, is shaping up for what’s expected to be an autumn move from the existing space at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Egg Harbor Road in downtown Sturgeon Bay.  Majority shareholder and third-generation owner Amy (Austad) LaBott told the […]

  • Cupola House

    Cupola Collective Opens in Egg Harbor

    Egg Harbor’s historical Cupola House has reopened as the new Cupola Collective retail space, which is home to four Door County residents’ small businesses: Au Naturale Cosmetics, the Cupola Cafe, Daughters and Co., Effie Street Kids and xoMe Studio. An open house Aug. 19, 5-8 pm, will celebrate the collective’s opening. Sister Bay resident Ashley […]

  • Dance Party Fitness Class Aug. 10

    Join professionally trained dancer Willa Wilde for a Dance Party Fitness class Aug. 10, 7 pm, at Uptown Wellness Studio, 10579 Country Walk Lane, Unit 22, in Sister Bay. This high-energy class with various styles of dance and fun music will get you moving and feeling good. The cost is $15; the class is limited to […]

  • Manage Stress and Anxiety with Viniyoga

    Certified viniyoga instructor and yoga therapist Mary Hilliker will lead a workshop about managing stress and anxiety through yoga. Through six classes, participants will progressively explore a range of yoga postures, breathing patterns and practices, guided relaxation, and intentions to help set your stress and anxiety thermostat to safe, connected, calm and clear; and to […]

  • Editor’s Note: Model the Cyber Interactions and Civic Engagement We Want Our Kids to Use

    I attended a panel of school resource officers this week that Chief Deputy Pat McCarty with the Door County Sheriff’s Office convened for a story our new reporter, Sam Watson, is working on. When the conversation turned to bullying, we heard the biggest challenge at local schools is cyberbullying.  This comes as a surprise to […]

  • Coordinated Community Response: Getting to the Root Causes of Domestic Abuse

    by CASSIE HITZMAN, Coordinator, Domestic Violence Intervention Project, HELP of Door County “Any situation in which some individuals prevent others from engaging in the process of inquiry is one of violence. The means are not important; to alienate human beings from their own decision making is to change them into objects.” — Paulo Friere At […]

  • Chalk the Door

    In keeping with the Door County Libraries’ summer theme of Ocean of Possibilities, Chalk the Door participants were encouraged to draw and decorate oceanic creatures, whether real or imaginary. To accompany the free chalk drawing, Sturgeon Bay Sunrise Elementary School art teacher Megan Jain hosted sessions at four libraries to discuss chalk art and mosaics.  […]

  • Laufer Up Next in Dickinson Poetry Series

    Paulette Laufer will take the Dickinson Poetry Series stage at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County (UUFDC) on Aug. 10, 7 pm. Laufer – featured in the Peninsula Pulse’s Peninsula Poetry column in early April – will share some of the varied poems she’s written since moving to Door County in 2015 and highlight the […]

  • New Children’s Book Features Anderson Dock

    Julie House, a local author of four children’s books, is featuring Anderson Dock in her fifth work, Silas Takes a Stand, set to be released this month. The rhyming picture book is part of a series, Furables, that’s geared toward children ages 2-8. The first four works feature pets of House’s family and friends, as […]

  • New Poetry Book Chronicles Parkinson’s Journey

    Lee LeVoy of Ellison Bay was already writing poetry when her husband, Hugh, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s. It was natural, then, that poems became LeVoy’s mode of expression through the course of her husband’s illness, and her second poetry collection focuses on this journey. Sacred Moments: One Couple’s Walk with Parkinson’s was recently released through […]

  • Book Recommendation: ‘The Gates of Europe’ by Serhii Plokhy

    recommended by JOHN MAGGITTI, Co-owner, Novel Bay Booksellers This 2015 New York Times–bestselling nonfiction book has seen a resurgence in both popularity and importance since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Author Serhii Plokhy gives us a balanced history lesson about this enigmatic part of Europe, walking us through the area’s history from 500 BCE until […]

  • Pulse of Philanthropy: It’s Not about the Tax Deduction

    by BRET BICOY, President and CEO, Door County Community Foundation During a recent drive to visit one of our children, my wife and I found ourselves scanning the radio to find something interesting to pass the time. Although I’m not normally a fan of talk radio, we stumbled upon a program that piqued my interest. […]

  • Peninsula Poetry: Nancy Rafal

    In 1994, Nancy Rafal and her husband, Harry, left the Chicago area and moved to Baileys Harbor. She took a poetry-appreciation class with Barbara Larsen, started writing semiseriously and joined the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. Rafal served as its treasurer and held the same position with the Wisconsin Writers Association. She was one third of […]

  • Maritime Objects and Craft

    Visit the Anderson Barn Museum, 3060 Anderson Lane in Ephraim, on Aug. 9, 10:30 am – 2 pm, to identify some maritime objects and engage in an optional craft: making a nautical bracelet or charm necklace. The Ephraim Historical Foundation is offering this free program as part of Maritime Mysteries and More, this year’s free […]

  • Explore Rock Island History

    Some of Door County’s most remote places and iconic buildings will be the subject of two presentations by the Egg Harbor Historical Society.  Learn about the history of Rock Island and the role that Egg Harbor’s “man of stone” – master stonemason John Buechner – played in it Aug. 16, 7 pm, at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 […]

  • Gibraltar Historical Association Presents Civil War Recollections

    Travel back to the Civil War with the Gibraltar Historical Association (historicnoble.org) Aug. 18, 7 pm, at the Old Town Hall, 4176 Maple St. in Fish Creek, when Sarah Scovell Muraski will portray Carrie McGavock and share her recollections of the Battle of Franklin.  The Civil War and the history of embalming are deeply entwined, […]

  • Get a Breath of Fresh Air in Ephraim

    History, Ephraim and cool transportation. If you enjoy any of those, you’ll like Ephraim’s historical tram tours.  “My husband was in the Navy for 20 years, so we’ve lived in Japan and many, many countries,” said docent and driver Marcia Ellis. “But Ephraim is my favorite place in the world.”  For me – as a history […]

  • Provide Input for The Ridges’ Master Plan

    The Ridges Sanctuary is hosting a summit Aug. 5-6 to discuss its master plan for the next 20 years. Ridges staff and board members, as well as representatives from its design team, SmithGroup and PROS Consulting, will attend. An open house is planned at ​​The Ridges Sanctuary, 8166 Hwy 57 in Baileys Harbor, for Aug. […]

  • GOLF LEAGUE RESULTS

    IDLEWILD Sundowners Women’s League July 27, 2022 • Top scores: Anna Larsen 42, Pat Mielke 45, Rita Hunt 48, Patti Baur 50, Lynn Kranich 50, Karen Joiner 52, Ellen Felhofer 55, Pam DeMelle 56, Julie Sarter 58, Lori Bloomer 58 • Pars: Anna Larsen 3, Pat Mielke 2, Rita Hunt 2, Karen Joiner 1 • Fewest putts: Anna […]

  • Printmaking Workshop at Idea Gallery

    Idea Gallery is hosting a block-printing note-card workshop Aug. 20, 11:30 am – 4 pm, with Melissa Resch leading participants as they explore the step-by-step creative process of printmaking to produce their own note cards. No experience is necessary.  In 2017, after many years in Provincetown, Massachusetts, Resch made her home in Door County, and […]

  • Catch a Raku Fish in Ellison Bay

    New raku fish are swimming on Ellison Bay Pottery’s walls, straight from their recent raku firing. Potter John Dietrich fires his raku fish only three times a year, and this summer marks his first firing since 2021. The fish start life as a vase that’s cut into two pieces once it’s leather hard. Then Dietrich […]

  • Jewelry Trunk Show at Artzy Studio

    Madison metalsmith and visiting artist Kerri Shannon and local artist Cynthia L. Koshalek will display their fine-art jewelry collections together during Artzy Studio’s fifth annual jewelry trunk show Aug. 11-12.  Shannon’s 2022 collection features distinctive, hand-fabricated jewelry in sterling silver, fine silver and 18-karat gold whose patterns, waves, spirals, asymmetrical designs and negative spaces are […]

  • David Nielsen Displays New Work at Drömhus

    New Slang – a dive into David Nielsen’s new artwork – is on display at Drömhus, 611 Jefferson St. in Sturgeon Bay, through September. An opening reception is scheduled for Aug. 27, 2-5 pm. Find out more from Nielsen at [email protected] or 920.421.9147.

  • Interfibers Hosts Fair-Trade Clearance Sale

    Wendy Carpenter of Interfibers Studio Gallery has long been working with indigenous Mayan weavers of Guatemala, teaching them how to design and sew contemporary apparel using their traditional, handwoven Jaspe fabric. Carpenter’s fair-trade/skill-building project, Creating Revenue through the Arts, has provided a specialized skill and a higher standard of living for the women, their families […]

  • Shop to Support the Miller Art Museum

    The Miller Art Museum will open its Art & Treasures fundraiser on Aug. 6, 10 am, at M3, the museum’s satellite space at 142 S. 3rd Ave. in Sturgeon Bay. The fundraiser will be open through Aug. 20, Tuesday-Friday, 10 am – 4 pm; and Saturday, 10 am – 1 pm. The fundraiser, now in […]

  • UUFDC Exhibition Explores Contested Borders

    Terri Warpinski’s exhibition Surface Tensions: Three Landscapes of Division will be on display at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County (UUFDC) Aug. 7 – Oct. 3. Warpinski is an educator and photographer with an international reputation. She’s retired from teaching photography at the University of Oregon and has returned to Green Bay, where she was raised, […]

  • Support Women Artists During Progressive Art Crawl

    The proprietors of the Women’s Fine Art Galleries of Egg Harbor are hosting their annual progressive art crawl on Aug. 11, 4-8 pm, and offering a diversity of art and food at each gallery during this art celebration. The Angela Lensch Gallery is a 3D-focused gallery that features Angela Lensch’s hand-woven gold and silver jewelry […]

  • The Last Five Years Opens Soon at TAP

    Rehearsals for the contemporary musical The Last Five Years – the next production at Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) – are nearly complete. The show will open with a pay-what-you-will preview Aug. 7 and run through Sept. 11.  The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown is an emotional tour de force as it tells its […]

  • Door Shakespeare Fundraiser Moves Online

    This year, Door Shakespeare will replace its annual gala with an online fundraiser, All’s Well That Ends Well, which will open Aug. 13, during the last two weeks of the season. It includes an auction featuring dining and entertainment experiences and items for the home, and participants will be able to donate to the theater’s […]

  • Table Work: The Ninja’s Theatrical History

    Dressed in black from head to toe, face obscured from onlookers, moving silently in complete darkness. When they do their jobs well, the public is completely unaware of their actions. They are known as “kurogo” in Japan, but here we simply call them … Stagehands. I’m sorry, did you think I was describing something else? […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Before Infinity and Beyond

    by MIKE ORLOCK [email protected] A title scrawl at the beginning of Lightyear (PG), Disney-Pixar’s newest animated adventure, informs us that little Andy – the child who owned all those wonderful toys that inspired four films (and counting) in the Toy Story franchise – saw a movie in 1995 that fired his imagination and fueled his […]

  • Fishing for the Moon Reels You In

    Fishing for the Moon has made a 30th-anniversary return to the Northern Sky Theater’s outdoor amphitheater in Peninsula State Park.  It debuted in the same place in 1992, and this season’s rendition includes veterans from the original cast: Composer and co-writer James Kaplan and Karen Mal are in the orchestra, and Jeff Herbst directs and […]

  • Crain’s Kitchen in Sister Bay Offers Fresh, Light Food On the Go

    Tucked next to On Deck Clothing and Lure in Sister Bay is a little concrete building with metal chairs and tables out front and purple and green origami cranes in the windows. “My last name is Crain,” said Crain’s Kitchen owner Andy Crain. “That’s where the paper cranes came from.” Inside, there’s a cute walk-up […]

  • Clearing’s Docent-Led Hikes Continue Through October

    The 87-year history, folklore and landscape of The Clearing Folk School are the subjects of free, two-hour, interpretive hiking tours to the historical campus and buildings led by volunteer docents on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. They begin at 1 pm at the Jens Jensen Visitor Center, 12171 Garrett Bay Road in Ellison Bay. […]

  • Dog Lovers, Assemble!

    Join the Door County Historical Society for its second annual Dog Days on Aug. 6, 10 am – 3 pm, at the Heritage Village, ​​next to Crossroads at Big Creek at 2041 Michigan St. in Sturgeon Bay. Get ready for hot dogs with a variety of toppings, a presentation about the history of service dogs […]

  • New Telescope at Astronomy Center, Nature Programs at Crossroads

    On July 25, with the help of a professional installer, members of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society moved a state-of-the-art telescope into the dome of the Leif Everson Observatory in Sturgeon Bay. Society members believe this to be the most sophisticated telescope/camera set-up in the state, and they hope to have it fully operational for […]

  • Weeks 5, 6 and 7 of the Trails of Newport State Park Challenge

    Bay Views and Forest Escapes This week’s installment of the Trails of Newport State Park Challenge covers three trails: Sand Cove/Duck Bay, Lynd Point and the east side of the Newport/Ridges Trail.  While exploring these three, I did come across more wildlife, so don’t be startled if you see animals. Birds, squirrels and other creatures […]

  • Garden Concert at UUFDC Aug. 12

    The Birch Creek Jazz Ambassadors will perform Aug. 12, 6:30 pm, in the garden of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County (UUFDC) to celebrate the church’s 25th anniversary.  The Jazz Ambassadors group comprises five to eight advanced students who are attending Birch Creek’s Jazz Session and who audition to be part of this ensemble, […]

  • Wild Things: Angler Reels In Heaviest Salmon in Nearly 30 Years

    44 inches, 40.40 pounds on Algoma charter by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected] Brian Sollars of East Bethel, Minnesota, found out why Lake Michigan is Wisconsin’s most-targeted body of water July 31 aboard Midnight, an Algoma-based charter-fishing boat. Sollars’ first fish that day escaped, but a second chance produced a 44-inch, 40.40-pound Chinook salmon – thought to […]

  • Rooftop Dining Takes Local Fare to New Heights

    Mezzanine, an Egg Harbor restaurant that opened in May, elevates Door County classics – literally. Located in the space that formerly housed Harbor View at 7821 Horseshoe Bay Road, Mezzanine serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on the restaurant’s rooftop patio overlooking Egg Harbor Marina. Diners sit at long, wooden tables with built-in benches that stretch […]

  • Bits & Bites

    Did Somebody Say Bacon?Nueske’s applewood-smoked bacon and other specialties are well known for their sweet, rich smokiness and high quality.  Now you can learn how to incorporate Nueske’s signature flavor into your cooking by learning from Nueske’s head executive chef, Preston Gasper, during a class at Savory Spoon Cooking School, 12042 Hwy 42 in Ellison […]

  • Culture Club: Citizen Science Making a Difference in Nature

    by SAM HOFFMAN, Land Manager, and TONY KISZONAS, Naturalist and Researcher, The Ridges Sanctuary Citizen science – the collection and analysis of data relating to the natural world by members of the public – is alive and well at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor. Volunteers who become involved in this important fieldwork not only […]

  • Community Concert Series Spotlight: Singer-songwriter Zachary Scot Johnson

    Singer-songwriter Zachary Scot Johnson was about to start his set as part of the Evenings in Ephraim concert series when a loud car filled with rowdy teenagers roared past. Johnson braced himself for what he was certain would follow. “Initially, I thought, ‘Oh no,’” Johnson said. “But they must have seen my name on a […]

  • More Than Wind in the Sails: Sail Training Foundation Classes Build Skills and Bonds

    Students of the Sail Training Foundation can expect one thing for sure on the first day of classes: that the boat will capsize.  “On the first day,” said instructor Keely Troup, “we’re required to do both a swim test and a capsize test before we can let them out on the water.” Troup has sailed […]

  • Miller Exhibit Exposes the Truth about Terrorism Propaganda

    Brandon Bauer’s exhibit at the Miller Art Museum shows what the propagandists didn’t want us to see The Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay exhibits 600 landscapes, but fewer than 25 contain evidence of humans – cabins, power lines, people.  Humans are also absent from the pieces in its newest exhibit, Landscapes of Absence by […]

  • A Guide to Door County’s Favorite Beaches: Part 1

    Door County has beaches galore, each with its own claim to fame in waterfront fun, and catering to the different kinds of visitors: swimmers, sunseekers and even furry, four-legged pals. Before planning your next beach day, check this first installment of featured beaches to see which activities and features make them stand out from the […]

  • Ani DiFranco Comes to DCA Sunday

    Some musicians have a way of time-stamping your life. You remember exactly where you were, what the day was like and the people you were with in the moment when you first heard a particular song.  Ani DiFranco is one of those artists for me, with she and her song “32 Flavors,” from her sixth […]

  • Obituary: Robert Alan Larsen

    November 5, 1956 ~ July 30, 2022 Robert Alan Larsen, 65, of Sturgeon Bay, died at home on Saturday, July 30, 2022. He was born November 5, 1956 in Grand Haven, Michigan, son of the late Otto Ranum and Carol Lillian (Cothran) Larsen. In 1966, the family moved to Javea (Alicante), Spain, and Robert graduated […]

  • Final 2022 Exhibit at Fine Line

     A trio of talented, tenured and diversified painters are the featured artists in Fine Line Designs Gallery’s third and final exhibit of the 2022 season. The exhibit kicks off with an artist reception on Aug. 11, 4-7 pm, with artists Richard Patt, William Millonig and Allan Servoss on hand for the event. Servoss will be […]

  • YMCA Hosts Youth Duathlon Aug. 6

    The Door County YMCA will be host its youth duathlon Saturday, Aug. 6 at its Sturgeon Bay campus. The event is open to children age 5- 18. Registration is open now and also available onsite Saturday from 6:45 – 7:30 am. The event begins at 8 am. Entry is $25 per person, and the top […]

  • Obituary: Roy R. LaViolette

    October 30, 1945 ~ August 1, 2022 Roy Richard LaViolette, 76, of Sturgeon Bay, died on August 1, 2022, at Anna’s House.  He was born on October 30, 1945, in Sturgeon Bay to Louis and Artyce (Starr) LaViolette.  On July 17, 1965, he married Mary Lauder in Sturgeon Bay, she preceded him in death on […]

  • Obituary: Marilyn Margaret Zirbel

    July 25, 1932 ~ July 31, 2022 Marilyn Margaret Zirbel, 90, of Sturgeon Bay, died early Sunday morning, July 31, 2022, at the Pete and Jelaine Horton Skilled Nursing Center at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay. She was born July 25, 1932, in Sawyer (now Sturgeon Bay), the daughter of William and Mary […]

  • OBITUARY: Mary Jane (Van Duyse) Sorgel

    The Golden Girl, Mary Jane (Van Duyse) Sorgel, 89, of Sturgeon Bay, died Saturday afternoon, July 30, 2022 at Anna’s Healthcare CBRF in Sturgeon Bay. More on Mary Jane’s life at Packers.com>> Mary was born on December 29, 1932 in Sturgeon Bay to Frances Lewis Van Duyse and Gertrude Josephine (Simon) Van Duyse. She attended […]

  • Obituary: Doraleigh (Poulton) Athanatos

    June 6, 1934 ~ July 24, 2022 Doraleigh Athanatos died on July 24, 2022 in Sturgeon Bay, where she had been a patient in a nursing home for two years. She was born June 6, 1934 in Mundelein, Illinois, daughter of the late Donald Leigh Poulton and Cora Wright Poulton. She attended Libertyville High School and graduated […]

  • Obituary: Francha Barnard

    July 6, 1946 ~ July 22, 2022 Francha was small but she left a big mark on the world…infectious laugh and spirited conversationalist…concern for others and commitment to community… As I remember Francha, I think of her as a trendsetter and an activist. She knew what she wanted and she pursued her course. Like marching […]

  • Obituary: Michael “Mikey” Ball, Jr.

    July 24, 1981 ~ July 26, 2022 Michael Emory Ball, Jr., “Mikey” to all who knew and loved him, 41, of Davenport, IA, died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest at his home on July 26, 2022. He was born in Green Bay, WI on July 24, 1981, the son of Michael Emory Ball, Sr. and Donna Darlene (Miller) […]

  • Obituary: David L. Mallien

    February 23, 1957 ~ July 4, 2022 David L. Mallien died peacefully at The Home Place of Dorchester under the care of Hope Hospice on July 4, 2022. Dave was born on February 23, 1957. After graduating from Sturgeon Bay High School Dave moved to Medford, WI to work on his aunt and uncles farm. […]

  • Obituary: James Spofford Reeve II

    February 3, 1940 ~ July 23, 2022 Jim Reeve died on Saturday, July 23, 2022 in Green Bay, Wisconsin at the age of 82.  He was born in Appleton, Wisconsin on February 3, 1940.  He is preceded in death by his parents, John Paxton Reeve and Jean Shannon Reeve, as well as his two younger […]

  • Obituary: Frederick “Fred” E. Grosbeier

    August 30, 1942 ~ July 4, 2022 Frederick “Fred” E. Grosbeier, 79, formerly of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin peacefully died after a short illness on Monday, July 4, 2022 at Lifecare Center of Bruceton in Bruceton, Tennessee. Fred was born in Sturgeon Bay on August 30, 1942 to the late George and Louise (Kramer) Grosbeier.Fred fell […]

  • Obituary: Audrey D. (McKenna) Milbach

    October 15, 1961 ~ July 24, 2022 Audrey D. Milbach, 60 years, of Sturgeon Bay, died suddenly after being transferred to Door County Medical Center following a short illness, being diagnosed with cancer in February of this year. She was born October 15, 1961, in Milwaukee, daughter of the late Robert B. and Roberta I. […]

  • Obituary: David Noel Swingen

    June 2, 1948 ~ July 20, 2022 David Noel Swingen of Sturgeon Bay died unexpectedly on July 20, 2022, at the age of 74. David was born June 2, 1948, in Stoughton, WI, to Dorothy Swingen (née Slinde) and Clarence Swingen. On December 7, 1979, he married Kelly Swingen (née Bluemle). In 1984, he and […]

  • Obituary: Judy (Dachelet) Jenquin

    August 3, 1940 ~ July 25, 2022 Judy Mary (Dachelet) Jenquin, 81, of Brussels, died on July 25, 2022, at her home after a brief battle with cancer.  Mom loved to share beautiful memories of growing up on her family’s farm with her sister Bonnie who she loved dearly.   In 1964, she married Tom Jenquin, […]