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Peninsula Pulse December 14-21, 2018

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In this issue

  • COMMENTARY: Lame Duck Session Accomplished Worthy Objectives

    by Assemblyman Joel Kitchens I am hopeful that with the passage of a week, we can begin to get past the rhetoric and emotion and look objectively at what happened in our Extraordinary Session.  There is no question that the appearance was horrible.  The legislation was depicted as a petty and vindictive attempt to strip […]

  • COMMENTARY: Lame Duck Session Damaged Democracy

    By Sen. Caleb Frostman Almost a week removed from an overnight lame duck session in which the will of Wisconsin voters was thwarted by Republican legislators, I finally feel like I’ve caught up on rest. Now fully recovered, the conflict-averse Wisconsinite in me wants to let sleeping dogs and lame ducks lie, but I didn’t […]

  • Kewaunee County to Groom Trails this Winter for Fat Bikes

    Kewaunee County is gearing up to bring fat biking to its parks. The Promotions and Recreation Department is partnering with Broken Spoke Bike Studio in Green Bay to create winter trails at Ryan Park and Riverview ATV Park. “More people are riding these off-road bicycles with oversized tires, especially in winter and we’re happy to […]

  • Search Tracks Down Missing Baileys Harbor Man

    A missing Baileys Harbor area man was found after a three-hour search in the Town of Baileys Harbor Tuesday, Dec. 13. The Door County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a possible missing 76 year-old male in the County Q and Birch Road area at 5:36 pm.The man had gone for a hike earlier in the […]

  • Land Trust Adds 35 Acres to Chambers Island Preserve

    Thirty-five acres of forested uplands have been acquired as an addition to the Door County Land Trust’s 600-acre Chambers Island Nature Preserve. With the October protection of two islands within Lake Mackaysee, this acquisition is the second of five new land deals to be completed on Chambers Island this year. Chambers Island is recognized by Door […]

  • Ephraim Reconstruction Plans Will Take Shape in January

    Resurfacing plans and timelines for Highway 42 through Ephraim should be more clear in the coming weeks. Administrator Brent Bristol expects a bid will be awarded in January for the village’s reconstruction project between Ephraim Beach and the Ephraim Fire Museum. Once that contract is awarded the village will get more details on any hard […]

  • High School Sports Schedule: Dec. 14 – 21

    GIBRALTAR Boys Basketball Dec. 14 vs. Kewaunee, 7:30 pm Dec. 18 @ NEW Lutheran, 7:30 pm Girls Basketball Dec. 20 vs. Peshtigo, 7:30 pm   SEVASTOPOL Boys Basketball Dec. 18 vs. Southern Door, 7:30 pm Girls Basketball Dec. 20 @ Algoma, 7:30 pm   SOUTHERN DOOR Boys Basketball Dec. 14 vs. Peshtigo, 7:30 pm Dec. […]

  • Loaves & Fishes Meal 2019 Schedule

    Need a great hot meal? The Loaves & Fishes Community meal is offered year-round, on the first, third and fourth Friday of the month, unless otherwise noted. All ages are welcome to join this family-style dinner. The meal is served 5:30-7 pm. Loaves & Fishes is held at the Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College, 229 N. […]

  • Cormorant Hunt Proposed in Ontario

    Ontario wants to allow hunters to shoot double-crested cormorants – an idea welcomed by sport anglers who think the fish-eating birds are destructive in the Great Lakes. The proposal from the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources also claims the birds are a threat to commercial fishing. The plan would allow a licensed hunter in Ontario […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Lame Duck Intervals, 62 Days of Terror

    A purpose for a November to January time gap between elections and assuming office was justified, in the early days, because travel was arduous from colonial homes to capital cities. The November-December weather was generally bad. There may or may not have been bridges. One of Wisconsin’s first roads was a plank road between Fort […]

  • Reps in the News: Kitchens Name Chair of Committee on Environment

    Assemblyman Joel Kitchens Rep. Kitchens released the following statement regarding his appointment to serve as chair of the Assembly Committee on Environment for the 2019-20 legislative session:  “I couldn’t be happier to be selected as the chairman of the Assembly Environment Committee. I cannot think of many issues – if any – that are more […]

  • Wendy Schultz of The Simple Life Hospitality Featured on Blog

    Wendy Schultz, president and CEO of The Simple Life Hospitality, was recently featured in a blog about entrepreneurs. She was highlighted for the use of technology in her business. The blog reads: “Technology is drastically changing the landscape of the vacation rental industry for property management companies willing to embrace it. A potential guest views […]

  • Altrusa Presents Project Reading Friends

    Altrusa International of Door County presents the project Reading Friends with help from a generous grant from the Altrusa International Foundation, Inc. Reading Friends will use the $4,000 grant to purchase more than 1,700 books for the more than 340 four- and five-year-old kindergarten students in Door County. Altrusans will visit classrooms five times during […]

  • Movies that Matter Screens ‘Paper Tigers’

    Movies That Matter is partnering with Door County Partnership for Children and Families (DCPCF) to screen Paper Tigers on Dec. 18, 4:30 pm. The film focuses on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Trauma Informed Care (TIC). Candis Dart, DCPCF coordinator, will lead a discussion after the film. This screening will help us learn more about […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Too Late to Say You’re Sorry

    Were state assembly “representatives,” such as ours even capable of offering an apology, at this point regarding contrition, none would be sufficient or believable after enabling and fully participating in pushing “Wisconsin Forward” to the very brink of the cliff in the continuing GOP dismantling of representative democracy. Political redemption, that ship’s far beyond the […]

  • Shopko Closings Don’t Include Sister Bay

    Shopko announced last week that it will be closing 39 stores in 19 states at the end of February, but so far that list does not include the location in Sister Bay. All of the stores are Shopko Hometown stores like the Sister Bay location. Only one of the announced closings is located in Wisconsin. […]

  • Candidacy Deadlines for Spring Election Approaching

    The deadline for local office holders to file non-candidacy papers is Dec. 21. The deadline for filing candidacy papers is Jan. 2.

  • Framed: Pulse Goes to Lambeau

    Jackson Parr, Alyssa Skiba and Ryan Miller were all smiles at the Packers-Falcons game Dec. 9. Photo by Stephanie LaHaye.

  • Climate Corner: The Courage to Hope

    by Jonathan Foley Rising temperatures. Increasing extreme weather events. Collapsing ice sheets. Destabilizing patterns of climate. Acidifying oceans. Coral reef die-offs. Tropical deforestation. Widespread environmental pollution. Countless species extinctions. Degraded land and water resources. Threats to global food security. Increasing risk of emerging disease. Every week there’s more news, most of it bad, about how […]

  • Jorns Aims for Return to State for Wrestling

    Jeremy Jorns doesn’t hold back when he talks about his experience at the Division II state wrestling meet last season: Call it a harsh lesson in reality. “The state meet last year opened my eyes to how big wrestling really is,” said Jorns, a Sturgeon Bay-Sevastopol (SBS) 182-pounder who lost both of his state meet […]

  • The Foodie’s Christmas List

    Do you have a foodie friend or family member on your Christmas list? Not to fret for there are plenty of food-centric places in Door County to find something special. Here are a few suggestions that are bound to thrill that foodie in your life. Pipka’s 2340 Mill Road, Sister Bay This bright and cheery […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Baxter

    Meet Baxter, a one-year-old male available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. He weighs in at a hefty 15 pounds, and his heart is as big as his belly. Baxter is an absolute sweetheart and cuddler looking for a lap to lounge on and someone to pet him all day […]

  • State News: Great Lakes Compact & Clean Energy

    Great Lakes Compact Council Approves Changes to Water Diversion Rules A council that manages and protects the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basin is changing the rules for communities that want to withdraw and use water outside the watershed. But Great Lakes mayors and environmental groups say the changes don’t go far enough to […]

  • $150,000 Available for Local Renewable-Energy Projects

    Sturgeon Bay Utilities (SBU) is searching for nonprofit organizations interested in renewable energy. SBU and WPPI Energy are teaming up to provide individual project grants of up to $100,000 each. Every grant recipient must be both a nonprofit organization and a current SBU customer. The grant funds are awarded through a competitive-bid process and can […]

  • Mike Shortall Jr. Takes Over Reliable Auto Sales of Sturgeon Bay

    Reliable Auto Sales of Sturgeon Bay has been in business and withheld the test of time since January of 1981, started by Mike and Sue Shortall. It will continue to prosper and grow at the hands of their son Mike Shortall Jr. who officially became the president of the corporation Nov. 30. Mike Jr. has […]

  • Door County Named Top Retirement Destination

    Door County has been selected as a top retirement destination in the sixth edition of America’s 100 Best Places to Retire, a comprehensive guidebook of the country’s most appealing retirement towns. The book, edited and published by the experts at Where to Retire, is available online at WhereToRetire.com and Amazon. Editors and staff spent 11 […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Kudos to Evers

    Kudos to the people’s governor, Tony Evers, and Lt. Governor, Mandela Barnes, for creating opportunities for voter input via the “Building the People’s Budget” sessions and town halls scheduled throughout the state of Wisconsin in December. Being open to the opinions and needs of the citizens of Wisconsin, is one of the reasons I voted […]

  • UU Fellowship Donates to GEO-DC

    In support of the Greater Escarpment Organization of Door County (GEO-DC), the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County recently collected and donated funds. Karl Wise, UU President, and Meg Ziegelmann, UU Environmental Justice Action Team leader, presented Nancy Goss, GEO-DC Board Chair, with a $600 check. The Fellowship chooses one nonprofit organization each month to […]

  • By the Numbers: Getting Away With Murder

    In major American cities, murder cases pile up on the desks of homicide detectives, resulting in half of all homicides going unsolved. Getting away with murder is easier than you think.   55,868 Number of homicides in 55 cities studied over a decade by a team from the Washington Post 50 Percentage of those homicides […]

  • Schenck CPA and Consultants Merging with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP

    Wisconsin-based CPA and consulting firm Schenck SC team members plan to join professional services firm CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) on Jan. 1, 2019. Schenck provides audit, accounting, tax and business consulting services to privately held companies and middle-market organizations in Wisconsin and beyond. Since opening in 1930, the firm has evolved to become one of the […]

  • Bell Ringers Needed

    The Salvation Army still needs bell ringers, such as this happy group that was at Walgreens in Sturgeon Bay on Dec. 1. Pictured from the left is Raymond Paye, Bethany Paye, Grant Pieschek, Alanna Paye, Rosalyn Paye, Mikayla Pieschek and Sue Pieschek. If you would like to volunteer, call Nancy Kexel-Calabresa at 920.883.7886. Submitted.

  • Neighbor to Neighbor Presents Awards at Annual Dinner

    Neighbor to Neighbor celebrated their organization’s achievements at their annual meeting at the Sturgeon Bay Public Library on Nov. 27. In 2017, 1,413 individuals benefited from services provided by Neighbor to Neighbor. Door County residents saved more than $400,000 in medical expenses by using the organization’s services. Ninety-four volunteers donated 2,873 hours of their time […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Disgruntled Kitchens Voter

    I voted for Joel Kitchens in the recent elections. I honestly felt he was the best-qualified candidate, and that he sincerely wanted to represent the interests of the citizens in his district while avoiding partisan politics. Boy, was I wrong and I wish I had that vote back. The lame duck legislation just passed along […]

  • Time to Plan Monarch Habitats

    While Wisconsin monarchs rest and refuel after a 1,700-plus-mile flight to their wintering grounds in Mexico, state residents can help them this winter by planting or planning habitat and taking other actions to help monarchs. The Wisconsin Monarch Collaborative, a coalition of organizations dedicated to reversing dramatic monarch declines in Wisconsin, has launched a new […]

  • Committee Working on Gills Rock Shoreline Plan Dec. 17

    The Gills Rock Waterfront ad hoc planning committee will meet Monday, Dec. 17, to continue working on plans for the future of the Gills Rock Shoreline properties purchased by the town in October. The committee has been meeting and brainstorming ideas for the stretch that includes 440 feet of shoreline. The public is encouraged to […]

  • Overheard & Pet Peeves: Dec. 14, 2018

    OVERHEARD Are there tid-bits of conversations you’ve heard while standing in line at the grocery store, serving a table, or walking down the sidewalk that make you smile, cringe or laugh out loud? “Lincoln was unfortunate looking. Allegedly.” “It’s hard out there right now for hair follicles.” “Man, I just can’t wait to get home […]

  • Trivia: Whose rendition of “White Christmas” did songwriter Irving Berlin try to ban from being played on the radio?

    Question: Whose rendition of “White Christmas” did songwriter Irving Berlin try to ban from being played on the radio? Answer: Elvis Presley

  • Reinvigorated Effort to Reduce Excess Nutrients

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a letter last week to state and tribal co-regulators that encourages increased engagement and a reinvigoration of state, tribal and federal efforts to reduce excess nutrients in waterways, with a focus on market-based and other collaborative approaches. “Thanks to the hard […]

  • DCEDC Planning for Increased Broadband

    Door County Economic Development’s Technology Council met recently and outlined three parallel strategies to help bring fast, affordable broadband to areas where it is lacking. “Broadband issues are raised in every residential and visitor survey, as well as during our business retention meetings,” said Jim Schuessler, DCEDC’s executive director. “Students are attending well-wired schools and […]

  • Habitat for Humanity Dedicates 41st Home, Dec. 20

    On Dec. 20, Door County Habitat for Humanity (DCHH) will dedicate its 41st home, built for the Purdy Family. The event is a celebration of the partnership and completion of the home build as the family prepares to move into their new home. The event is held at the home, 827 N Sixth Place at […]

  • Register for YMCA Winter Programs, Dec. 17 or Dec. 19

    The Door County YMCA Winter 1 Program Session registration is almost here. Program guides are available online or at your local Welcome Center. The Winter 1 Program Guide is filled with information on the YMCA’s more than 223 programs. The catalog of programs is always evolving to meet health and wellness needs. Starting again this […]

  • Door-Tran Receives Funds to Support Local Mobility Efforts

    Door-Tran is one of 60 agencies in the state that will receive funding to support transportation services for seniors and individuals with disabilities. Per the State of Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT) announcement on Dec. 3, nearly $6.3 million in state and federal funds support services including mobility management, operating assistance and vehicle purchases. “Funding […]

  • Southern Door Breaks Packerland Conference Record

    A new Packerland Conference record of 29 consecutive conference wins was achieved by the Southern Door Eagles boys’ varsity basketball team when they beat Oconto 68-53 this week. In honor of this, the district will recognize the Southern Door 1983-84 and 1984-85 varsity boys’ basketball teams that won 28 straight Packerland Conference games and held […]

  • Crystal Miller Charged with Church Theft

    A former administrative assistant at Christ the King Episcopal Church in Sturgeon Bay has been charged with 16 felony counts of forgery and theft. According to the criminal complaint, Crystal J. Miller, 29, of Sturgeon Bay forged 15 checks totaling more than $9,800 and stole more than $1,000 in cash from the church. Sturgeon Bay […]

  • Outgoing Senator Frostman Tells Voters to Stay Vigilant, Passionate

    Outgoing Sen. Caleb Frostman is far too young a man to go down in Wisconsin history as a footnote for winning a court-ordered special election in June and losing the general election in November to his special election challenger Rep. Andre Jacque. Wisconsin should expect to hear more from him. “I had a ton of […]

  • Midsummer’s String Quartet Receives Packer Foundation Grant

    The Midsummer’s Music Resident String Quartet program was recently selected to receive a $5,000 community grant from the Green Bay Packers Foundation. The Resident String Quartet is a professional chamber music ensemble that will visit school classrooms throughout Door and Brown Counties, where they will demonstrate music techniques and engage students in educational principles. In […]

  • U.S. News & World Report Recognizes Scandia Village

    U.S. News & World Report, a leader in rating and assessing different services across the country, has identified Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village as a high performing facility in short-term care, a new category created by U.S. News this year. U.S. News analyzes data from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to […]

  • 34 Things We Love About Winter in Door County

    I used to hate winters. Though some friends loved the day when the tourists disappeared, the restaurants cleared out and the shops closed for the winter, I dreaded it. The Monday after Fall Fest was always one of the most depressing of the year. But after returning to Door County in 2017 after living in […]

  • Sevastopol School Conducts District-wide Developmental Screening

    The Sevastopol School District will conduct a district-wide developmental screening on Jan. 4, 8 am – 4 pm, in the multi-purpose room at school. They ask all district families with children ages 3-5 who are not enrolled in 4K or Kindergarten, to consider registering for the developmental screening. The screening process encompasses a formalized and […]

  • Back-to-School Fair Receives Grant from Packer Foundation

    Altrusa’s Back-to-School Fair has received a grant from the Green Bay Packer Foundation for $4,000. Altrusan Cheri Meyvis applied specifically for socks and underwear for the children attending the 2019 Back-to-School Fair, and this part of the budget has now been funded in part by the grant. Meyvis and Altrusan Ann Knight attended the awards […]

  • Donation for Veterans Day Letters

    Bill Forry from the Amvets Post #51 presented a $100 check to Vickie Dassler, principal of St. John Bosco Catholic School. The donation is in appreciation of St. John Bosco School’s efforts in mailing out Veterans Day letters. Submitted.

  • Municipal Meetings: Dec. 14 – 21

    DOOR COUNTY City of Sturgeon Bay: The common council meets at 7 pm Dec. 18. County of Door: The Sister City Ad Hoc Committee meets at 8:30 am Dec. 17. The ADRC Advisory Board meets at 3 pm Dec. 17. The Library Board meets at 5 pm Dec. 17. The county board meets at 10 […]

  • Sister Bay Gets First Glance at Pebble Beach Proposal

    The first step toward changing the look of one of northern Door County’s most beloved places took place at the Sister Bay Plan Commission meeting Tuesday, Dec. 11. Tom Scheuerman of NAI Pfefferle, on behalf of the Luber family, presented a preliminary concept plan that would divide the Pebble Beach shoreline into four parcels for […]

  • Servers of the Week: Julie Henry and Staff at Pack and Ship Plus

    Scammers trying to prey On people in Sturgeon Bay Should know this golden calf Is monitored by Julie Henry and her savvy staff.   The good folks at Pack & Ship Plus Stop scammers without a fuss. They know the tricks of the trade And when an innocent is being played.   Last week the […]

  • New DCCF Office Offers Meeting Space

    The Door County Community Foundation (DCCF) offers free meeting space for nonprofits and civic groups in the community. The DCCF offers flexible meeting rooms to virtually any community group that needs it. They have created a separate entrance off the parking lot, and invested in technology to allow the community to safely use the building […]

  • Door to Nature: Christmas Trees

    This is the time of year that Roy and I would look for a nice medium-sized natural tree to bring home and decorate for Christmas. Our schedule was such that, with organizing two Christmas bird counts and preparing the Door County autumn season final bird report, it often became mid-December before we had time to […]

  • Manners Matter: Sucker-Punched Breakup

    Dear Mary Pat, My friend just broke up with her boyfriend, which is obviously her right. However, he didn’t see it coming whatsoever. He was planning on proposing to her, and then she breaks up with him over the phone. I thought it was a little harsh since they had dated for over two years. […]

  • Meeting on Forestville Millpond Dec. 19

    The Door County Facilities & Parks and the Soil & Water Conservation Departments will hold a public informational meeting Dec. 19 at 6 pm on the future management of the Forestville Dam/Millpond at Forestville Town Hall, 7705 County H, Maplewood. The meeting will consist of a presentation with updated information and the recommendation to draw […]

  • Community Connections Hits 1-year Milestone

    The Door County Partnership for Children and Families (DCPCF) announces their Community Connections service has hit its one-year anniversary milestone. “This past year has been a wonderful experience. I have had the pleasure of working with some truly wonderful Door County families,” said Community Connector Rebecca Nicholson. Community Connections offers support to families via Nicholson, […]

  • Perspective: A Note to Our Readers

    At the Pulse, we’re making changes, some of which you may have already noticed. They’re just not the type of changes you might expect from a newspaper today.

  • Packerland Conference Standings: Dec. 9

    Boys Basketball School, Won-Lost Southern Door 2-0 Sturgeon Bay 2-0 Peshtigo 1-0 Gibraltar 1-1 NEW Lutheran 1-1 Oconto 1-1 Algoma 0-1 Kewaunee 0-2 Sevastopol 0-2   Girls Basketball School, Won-Lost Kewaunee 4-0 Southern Door 4-1 Algoma 3-1 Peshtigo 3-1 Gibraltar 2-2 NEW Lutheran 2-3 Oconto 2-3 Sevastopol 0-4 Sturgeon Bay 0-5

  • Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo Begins Jan. 31

    Wisconsin farmers seeking answers to their marketing, production and business management questions can find them and much more at this year’s Wisconsin Corn/Soy Expo. The state’s hallmark event for row-crop farmers, Corn/Soy Expo, kicks off Jan. 31, 8 am, with Commodity Market Analyst Kevin Van Trump, president and founder of Farm Direction and the Van […]

  • 2018-2019 Sturgeon Bay Winter Fleet Schedule

    The Winter Fleet has already begun arriving for work at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding. If you love catching these massive ships as they arrive in Sturgeon Bay, here are the days to look for new arrivals in the next month. Dec. 7, 2018: Burns Harbor Dec. 22, 2018: American Courage Dec. 31, 2018 Joseph L. Block […]

  • OBITUARY:  Ralland “Otto” A. Rohr

    Ralland “Otto” A. Rohr, 81, of Jacksonport died Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 at Door County Medical Center. A Mass of Christian Burial to honor Otto’s life will be celebrated at 11 am on Saturday, Dec. 15, 2018 at Stella Maris Parish – Jacksonport site with Fr. David Ruby officiating.  Otto will be laid to rest […]

  • Ward, Fairchild Will Run for Mayor

    Mayor Thad Birmingham has not yet announced if he intends to run for re-election in April, but two others have joined the race. Third District Alderman David Ward has taken out papers to seek the seat, as has Shawn Fairchild, a member of the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society who has been active in discussions regarding […]

  • Holiday Lights Fun Run Dec. 20

    The Door County Silent Sports Alliance will present the sixth annual Bridge to Bridge Holiday Lights Fun Run and Walk on Dec. 20. The race starts at 6 pm at Kitty O’Reilleys Irish Pub in Sturgeon Bay, and also finishes there. The free run/walk will be up to three miles in length, but participants can […]

  • Take Time to ‘Play It Forward’

    An annual concert event now in its sixth year, Play It Forward brings together some of Door County’s best-loved musicians for an evening of seasonal music that is both festive and reflective. This year’s concert is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 27, at the Door Community Auditorium (DCA) in Fish Creek. Baileys Harbor musician Pete Thelen […]

  • Longest Door County Deer Hunt Ends Jan. 31

    Hunters who want a shot at extra venison this season have plenty of days of blaze orange and camo to go. By the time the last broadhead is fired during an extended bow and crossbow season Jan. 31, archers and crossbow users will have had 139 straight days of opportunities to be afield. Most gun […]

  • Christmas Bird Count

    The Annual Christmas Bird Count for Sturgeon Bay is scheduled for Dec. 15, and Crossroads at Big Creek will participate. The community is invited to join in its efforts. To kick off the bird count, Crossroads will host “Know the Winter Birds” on Dec. 14 at 2 pm. This presentation is for beginners or those […]

  • Barn Dance at the Kress

    The Door County Folk Alliance will host another barn dance at the Kress Pavilion on Dec. 15, 7-9 pm. Mike Grimm and Pam Johnson will call this dance. No partner or experience is needed because there are usually others looking for dance partners, and the callers will teach all the dances, step by step. Although […]

  • Imagination Library Program to Kick Off at Fun Family Event

    The Door County Partnership for Children and Families (DCPCF), a program of United Way of Door County, has been working hard during the last year to bring the Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program to Door County children. The program will officially kick off at the Door County Library in Sturgeon Bay on Dec. 15, 10 […]

  • Authors Talk Writing at Pioneer Life Panel

    The Wisconsin Historical Society Press (WHSP) presents a panel discussion with three top-selling Wisconsin authors — Jerry Apps, Kathleen Ernst and Marnie Mamminga — on Dec. 9, 4:30 pm, at 702WI, located at 702 E. Johnson St., Madison. This moderated writing discussion will focus on what Apps, Ernst and Mamminga know best: the life and […]

  • Small Forest Christmas Concert

    The members of Small Forest, with special guest George Sawyn, will continue their Christmas concert tradition at Base Camp in Sister Bay, Dec. 21, 7 pm. This year the concert will be held upstairs so people can have a little more room. Joel Kersabet’s fabulous treats and drinks will accompany this fun evening of contemporary, […]

  • Midsummer’s String Quartet

    Midsummer’s Music Ltd. presents its resident string quartet in two free winter concerts. The group plays Dec. 14, 6 pm, at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay; and Dec. 15, 3 pm, at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. The repertoire for the concert includes String Quartet No. 20 in D “Hoffmeister” by […]

  • Holiday Storytelling

    Rogue Theater will celebrate its sixth Christmas with a holiday production by Trisha Dean. Let’s Tell the Story is a mix of old and new, as storytellers tell the Nativity story in a fun and humorous way. It begins when a group of kids sing a song together and begin to talk about what Christmas […]

  • ‘Velvet Gentleman’ Returns

    The one-man play Velvet Gentleman returns to Third Avenue Playhouse (TAP) for the holiday season. The work is a colorful journey into the mind and music of the witty and eccentric composer Erik Satie, whose music ranges from comically bizarre to hauntingly beautiful. Velvet Gentleman premiered at TAP in the spring of 2017. Created and […]

  • Beekeeper Meeting

    The Door County Beekeepers Club will hold its monthly meeting on Dec. 18, 6:30 pm at Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Take a dish to pass for the potluck social, and enjoy the company of fellow beekeepers. Max Martin will demonstrate how to make bee candy for your honeybees this winter. The […]

  • First-place Framer at Artists Guild

    Janine Buechner was featured in the November issue of the international trade magazine Picture Framing Magazine (PFM) for her top-award-winning framing design. Buechner, custom picture framer at Artists Guild, earned first place in the Professional Picture Framers Association’s International OPEN Framing Competition for 2017-18 earlier this year. The six-page interview in PFM showcases photos and […]

  • Holiday Gift Show at Plum Bottom

    Plum Bottom Pottery & Gallery invites the community to shop artfully this holiday season. On Dec. 15-16, 10 am-4 pm, the gallery will have a wide variety of gifts available, from decorative to practical. Resident potter Chad Luberger has been hard at work creating a new collection of perfect holiday gifting items. A fresh collection […]

  • Hagens Return to TAP

    The Hagan Family Christmas Concert returns to Third Avenue Playhouse (TAP) Dec. 15 at 7:30 pm. This concert is a family reunion not only for the Hagen family but for the many Door County fans who have made it a holiday tradition throughout the years. The harmonies, humor, wide variety of material and family values […]

  • Book Review: ‘Simple Things: Lessons from the Family Farm’

    Simple Things: Lessons from the Family Farm Jerry Apps, 138 pages, Wisconsin Historical Press, 2018 Review by Terri Schlichenmeyer Ropes of diamonds and gold are not for you. A fancy car has no place in your garage, your home isn’t TV-worthy, and you’re happy with uncomplicated meals, hold the mustard. While it’s nice to have big […]

  • PenArt Hosts First Artist Critique Group

    For many artists along the peninsula, the winter is the most productive time of the year. The busy days of the tourist season are fewer and farther between, allowing time to hunker down in the studio, determine a new direction and produce a body of work. Although having these quiet months to pursue longer-term projects […]

  • Holiday Storytelling Event

    Renowned Chicago playwrights Jenny Magnus and Beau O’Reilly are the featured readers at a holiday storytelling event presented by The Lightbox and Write On, Door County. The free community event takes place Dec. 18, 5 pm, at The Lightbox, 9922 Water Street, Ephraim. Local storytellers will also join the pair to share tales of the […]

  • Miller Art Museum Receives Packers Foundation Grant

    The Miller Art Museum (MAM) in downtown Sturgeon Bay is a recipient a 2018 Green Bay Packers Foundation grant. The foundation awarded $800,000 to 230 civic and charitable groups throughout Wisconsin. This grant will support the Community Mural Project (CMP), a public-art project in Sturgeon Bay. CMP committee members Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead, executive director of the […]

  • TAP Receives Packers Foundation Grant

    Third Avenue Playhouse (TAP) was awarded a grant of $3,250 from the Green Bay Packers Foundation. The check was presented to TAP Board President Karl Wise and TAP Board Secretary Alan Kopischke at a luncheon on Dec. 5 at the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay. The Green Bay Packers Foundation has been giving back […]

  • Artist Depicts Trans People’s Lives in ‘TRANSCEND’

    On Dec. 16, 9-10 am, Rae Senarighi will discuss “Radical Self Love and Artistic Integrity” at Hope United Church in Sturgeon Bay. Senarighi is a transgender, non-binary artist and illustrator. His colorful works are influenced by nearly a decade of scientific illustration, studying the natural world in micro and macro. After surviving cancer in 2015, […]

  • Happy to Be An Outlier: Moon Bird opens in Ellison Bay for open houses

    Stepping into Moon Bird, the new gallery/home adornment space in Ellison Bay, on a grey day, the bright, welcoming colors are a relief to the eyes. The shop, located in the former Sutra Gallery, is a new endeavor for the husband-and-wife team of Jeff and Desiree Bromstad. The couple, who has owned a home in […]

  • New Coloring Book Series

    This winter the Wisconsin Historical Society Press (WHSP) published its first children’s coloring book series, Ojibwe Traditions. The four books in the series contain pictures to color, stories, and vocabulary, and they include activities such as word scrambles and mazes to help kids learn more about Wisconsin’s American Indian culture and traditions. Each book focuses […]

  • Keep Wildlife Wild Starts Inaugural Poster Contest Jan. 2

    The Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Keep Wildlife Wild initiative announces its inaugural poster contest for 2019. The contest will be an annual event in the future. Students currently in fourth through sixth grade may submit a poster for the contest. Wisconsin’s Keep Wildlife Wild initiative began in 2014 with a focus on providing information […]

  • Door County Reads Announces 2019 Selections

    Door County Reads 2019 will host two authors this year when residents of Door County are once again invited to read one (or two) books and get together to discuss the subject(s). Copies of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes by Dan Egan and Wintering by Peter Geye will both be available at […]

  • Woodwalk Ends Season with ‘Home for the Holidays’

    Woodwalk Gallery is wrapping up its retail season this weekend, featuring the Home for the Holidays showcase through Dec 16. Art takes many forms and functions, and you can find an array of gift items — from silk and wool scarves, jewelry and wood utensils to glass serving plates, stoneware and, of course, varied art […]

  • Bestseller List: Dec. 14, 2018

    TRADE PAPERBACK FICTION 1. Hope Never Dies by Andrew Shaffer 2. Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman 3. Less by Andrew Sean Greer 4. The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris 5. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan TRADE PAPERBACK NONFICTION 1. Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann 2. My Own […]

  • Gibraltar Choirs’ Concert

    The Gibraltar Middle and High School Choirs will perform their holiday concert on Dec. 17, 7 pm, at the Door Community Auditorium in Fish Creek. The concert will culminate in a community sing of Handel’s “Hallelujah” chorus from Messiah. All interested singers from the community are welcome to sing, and musical scores will be provided. […]

  • Gibraltar Residents See 15 Percent Increase to Tax Levy

    Town of Gibraltar electors voted 16-11 last week to increase the tax levy by 14.82 percent, primarily to service the debt the town is undertaking to finance projects related to the highway and beach project. The 2019 budget calls for a town levy of $2,174,614, an increase of $280,634.60. The higher tax levy will represent […]