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Peninsula Pulse February 18-25, 2022

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In this issue

  • SERVER OF THE WEEK: Kiana Sargent

    Kiana Sargent @ Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub 59 E. Oak St. in Sturgeon Bay Kiana’s dishing up stew and pouring Guinness, Serving the folks at Kitty’s with an artist’s finesse. The bar’s not her only canvas, though she’ll leave you in awe –  When she’s not at work, she likes to paint and draw.

  • Building on Former Dump Sites, and Other West Waterfront Development Updates

    Of the three projects planned for the West Waterfront – the Door County Granary, the Plaza/Terrace project and the 53-unit Breakwater Residences apartment building – the Granary is under construction; the Plaza/Terrace project must receive a historic fill exemption from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; and Northpoint’s apartment complex is on hold because of […]

  • Sturgeon Bay Shares Cost of Water Pipe with Kwik Trip

    “Rumors are floating around town that this wasn’t going to go through,” said Mayor David Ward during the council’s first meeting in February, referring to the Kwik Trip development slated for Egg Harbor Road. That’s not the case. What was the case was that a 490-foot section of water main on Alabama Street serving the […]

  • Could STR Fees Support Workforce Housing?

    The explosion of short-term rental (STR) properties in Door County is often cited as contributing to the area’s lack of affordable housing.  Now the Village of Sister Bay is exploring whether it can use the growth in short-term rentals to help fund investments in affordable housing. During its Feb. 15 village board meeting, trustees discussed […]

  • Committee Urges Town Board to Apply for Broadband Grant

    The committee working to bring high-speed internet to all premises in Baileys Harbor set a March 17 deadline for the town board to approve a grant application and financial commitment. Broadband committee members said if voters at the annual town meeting in April oppose a solution to poor internet availability, the town board still would […]

  • Another Go at the Bradley Lake Restoration Project

    Bradley Lake, also referred to as Little Lake, is that body of water that starts where Alabama Street and 3rd Avenue North intersect in Sturgeon Bay at the edge of Sunset Park.  During the mid-19th century, before it became a dumping ground for the Bradley-Crandall Sawmill operations that began in 1853, it was known as […]

  • Master Gardeners Present “Awesome Annuals with Pollinator Potential” Feb. 22

    Door County Master Gardeners will host a lecture, “Awesome Annuals with Pollinator Potential,” on Feb. 22, 6:30 pm. The lecturer will be Mark Dwyer, a landscape consultant and former director of horticulture at the Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wisconsin, who will discuss a wide range of seasonal plant options for garden beds, borders and […]

  • DNR SEEKS ETHICAL HUNTER NOMINATIONS

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting nominations for its annual Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Award, which honors hunters’ exceptional moral actions and character while in the field. Any hunter or nonhunter may nominate a licensed Wisconsin hunter for her or his actions during the 2021 calendar year. Although many nominations come from the […]

  • Fish Tales Series Presents “Environmental DNA” Lecture Feb. 24

    The next installment of the Fish Tales lecture series will take place Feb. 24, 7 pm, when Cari-Ann Hayer will present “Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a Tool to Detect the Arrival of Invasive Carp in the Lake Michigan Basin.” Hayer is a fisheries biologist and program manager of the Aquatic Invasive Species Detection and Monitoring […]

  • CANDLELIGHT SKI AT CROSSROADS

    Crossroads at Big Creek will kick off Fire & Ice weekend on Feb. 18 with a Candlelight Ski, 6-8 pm. (If there’s not enough snow, it will be a Candlelight Hike instead.) Ski equipment will be available to rent, or take your own. Attendees can enjoy a roaring fire and hot cocoa during the event.  […]

  • Majority Support Voiced for Potawatomi Tower Repair

    The public-comment period ends Feb. 22 for those who want to tell the state what they think should be done with the historical Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower. Twenty-five people already did that during a virtual session held in late January to kick off the public-comment period.  The tower has been closed to the public […]

  • Break the Ice

    Try your hand at carving at Fire & Ice Fire & Ice Weekend will return to Sturgeon Bay this weekend, and along with it, the ice-carving competition. Starting at 9 am, professional and amateur ice carvers will take to the streets, turning blocks of ice into works of art in front of area businesses.  Garret […]

  • See. Swirl. Sniff. Sip.

    How to host a wine-tasting party If you’re a wine drinker, you already know you like wine. But have you ever stopped to find out why you enjoy the wines you do? Hosting a wine-tasting party is an easy and approachable way to experience vino in a new way while gaining a better understanding about […]

  • DCA CELEBRATES PIONEERING WOMEN IN JAZZ

    On Feb. 25, the Door Community Auditorium (DCA) will present Bessie, Billie and Nina: Pioneering Women in Jazz. Powerfully and playfully blazing new trails in both their music and activism, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone became three of the 20th century’s most influential vocalists. All three defied social norms, embraced self-empowerment through their […]

  • GRIER FEATURED AT COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT SERIES

    On Feb. 19, 7 pm, blues guitarist and songwriter Cathy Grier will be the featured artist for Door Community Auditorium’s Coffeehouse Concert series. Grier and friends will perform a virtual coffeehouse concert via Facebook, and after this premiere, the concert will also be available on YouTube. Grier’s multidimensional guitar technique, gutsy vocal range and sterling […]

  • Bits & Bites: Winter Brunch Options

    But First, Brunch  Enhance your “Sunday Funday” with these can’t-miss brunch options. From Eggs Benedictto towering Bloodys, mornings just got a little brighter. Chives, 8041 Hwy 57 in BaileysHarbor, serves up classic brunch favorites every Saturday and Sunday, 9 am – 2 pm. View the menu at chivesdoorcounty.com/menu/. Kitchen Barons, 23 W. Oak St. in […]

  • Community Snowman Build Offers Family Fun during Fire & Ice Weekend

    “Do you wanna build a snowman?” That’s the question Destination Sturgeon Bay is asking as the Community Snowman Build returns to Fire & Ice Weekend for the third year.  “When we came up with the idea, we had park space that was underutilized and really wanted to create something geared toward kids for that weekend,” […]

  • POTAWATOMI THE FOCUS OF NEXT DC TALKS PROGRAM

    Joseph P. Daniel Sr. and Starla Thompson will deliver the Door County Talks presentation “Potawatomi Nation through Time” on Feb. 19, 10 am, at Door Community Auditorium (DCA). They will guide the audience through a timeline of the Potawatomi people, detailing the major events in their history from pre-European contact to the present day. Door […]

  • Feb. 18 Packerland Conference Standings

    Packerland Conference Basketball Standings Girls Basketball (through Feb. 11)School, won-lost Oconto 14-0 Peshtigo 12-3 Kewaunee 11-3 Sevastopol 9-5 Algoma 8-7 Southern Door 5-9 NEW Lutheran-Providence 4-10 Sturgeon Bay 1-13 Gibraltar 0-14 Boys Basketball (through Feb. 11)School, won-lost Kewaunee 10-2 Peshtigo 10-3 NEW Lutheran-Providence 9-3 Southern Door 9-3 Oconto 6-7 Gibraltar 5-7 Sturgeon Bay 5-8 Algoma […]

  • Busy Weekend for Eagles Youth Wrestlers

    Southern Door youth wrestlers competed Sunday, Feb. 13.  At the New London Ladies Wrestling Bash, Sydney Turner pinned her way to the top of the podium with a first-place finish, and Nora LeFevre placed second. At the Hortonville Polar Bears Tournament, Eagles wrestlers earned a trio of second-place finishes by Zayne Massey-Weckler, Royce LeRoy and […]

  • 2023 DNR Stamp Design Contest Now Open

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting artwork entries for the Wild Turkey, Pheasant and Waterfowl Stamp design contests, whose winning designs will appear on the 2023 collection of stamps. Sales of these three stamps bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for species management throughout the state, including habitat management, restoration, […]

  • DCHS Luncheon Highlights Naturalist Roy Lukes

    The Door County Historical Society (DCHS) will host a luncheon program Feb. 26, 11 am, featuring Charlotte Lukes presenting “Roy Lukes: Renowned Naturalist.” The program will look at her late husband’s wide interest in natural science and how he turned to this after his days of playing in several traveling dance bands. It will show […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Bella

    Meet Bella! This spirited, three-and-a-half-year-old dog is available for adoption from the Wisconsin Humane Society’s (WHS) Door County Campus. She loves to play with humans, other dogs and every kind of toy. Like all dogs at WHS, Bella (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=49204191) is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, and she would love to go home with you this Valentine’s […]

  • Foot-Care Clinics Offered at Door County ADRC

    The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Door County, in partnership with Healthy Feet, will offer weekly foot-care clinics on Tuesdays, 9 am – 3 pm. Lisa Taylor, RN – who has professional foot- and nail-care training from UW-Eau Claire, plus many years of foot-care experience – will offer services including diabetic foot care, lower-leg and […]

  • Chronic-Conditions Workshop Offered in Algoma

    The Aging & Disability Resource Center of the Lakeshore and Lakeside Community Church will offer a Living Well with Chronic Conditions workshop on six Wednesdays, March 9 – April 13, 9-11:30 am. Attendance at all six sessions is highly encouraged because each builds on the previous skills acquired. If you are living with a chronic […]

  • Ducks Unlimited Banquet Set for March 10

    The Door County Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will host its 44th anniversary banquet March 10, 5:30 pm, at the Door County Fire Company in Sturgeon Bay. The evening will feature a prime-rib dinner, raffles, duck decals and lots of fun. Kids younger than 12 will receive Green Wing perks. Tickets include dinner, a subscription to […]

  • Pond Hockey Tournament Fosters Good Vibes in the Great Outdoors

    There was more than just hockey during last weekend’s Door County Pond Hockey Tournament – there was also lots of nostalgia. To be sure, there was hockey. Plenty of hockey: 47 teams with approximately 300 athletes. More than 150 games. Eight divisions. The games began at 8 am and concluded late that evening in a picturesque […]

  • Open Door Pride Announces New Vice Chair

    The Open Door Pride board of directors has elected Michael Meulemans to a three-year term as its new vice chair.  Meulemans has lived in Door County for more than two decades, and he’s served on the Destination Sturgeon Bay board, as president of the Baileys Harbor Community Association board and on the Parks Committee for […]

  • Women’s Fund Receives $100,000 Grant

    The Women’s Fund of Door County has received a $100,000 grant award from the Ford Foundation to collaborate with child care experts and community partners, including United Way of Door County, to identify and implement long-term solutions for the peninsula’s ongoing child care shortage. United Way is a recent recipient of a $3.5 million grant […]

  • What Do Local Emergency Services Workers Wish People Knew about Their Jobs?

    On Feb. 5, a panel of local volunteer EMS professionals and firefighters connected virtually to discuss Michael Perry’s Population: 485 – one of the featured books for the 2022 Door County Reads. David Siegel, author of Forces of Change: Events That Led to the Development of the Green Bay Fire Department, moderated the discussion of […]

  • Editor’s Note: Confessions of an Ex-non-collector

    by Debra Fitzgerald Winter is a time for inside projects. That’s been difficult here because, for the first time in my life, we bought a house that didn’t need a ton of interior work. It hardly needed any at all. Switch up some drawer pulls, add a barn door, refinish some of the doorway framing […]

  • Technical-Education Scholarships Available

    The Sturgeon Bay Rotary Club is again offering the Rotary Technical Education/Robert Muckian Scholarships of $500-$1,200 to high school graduating seniors who are planning to attend a two-year accredited technical college or other accredited technical-education courses. Students who are selected must have a 2.0 GPA, be involved in school extracurricular activities or work, and demonstrate […]

  • Lawrence University’s Seminars Return to Björklunden

    The summer and fall seminars at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor – Lawrence University’s pristine Door County retreat – are back for the first time in three years, mid-June – mid-October. This year’s slate of 38 weeklong adult-education seminars are open to the public and led by Lawrence faculty, alumni or other friends of the university. […]

  • Southern Door 4k, 5k Student Registration

    Online registration for full-day 4K and 5K students who are new to the district will be available beginning Feb. 21. If your child is currently attending Southern Door’s 4K program, you do not need to do anything at this time. Early registration helps the district determine staffing, classroom needs and bus routes. Register online beginning […]

  • Education Notes: ‘Why Can’t They Just Get Along?’

    Sevastopol – Sevastopol High School freshmen take an annual trip to the theater to see authors’ works come to life, but that didn’t happen last year. So this winter, ninth-graders, as well as the sophomores who missed out on the field trip last year, all watched the most recent version of West Side Story at […]

  • Two Eagles Advance to Wrestling Sectionals

    Trevor Englebert and Brodie Overbeck have advanced to the Division 2 sectional round of the WIAA state wrestling tournament. Each placed second in their weight classes and will wrestle Feb. 19 at Oconto Falls.  Southern Door had competed in Division 3 for the previous five years before bumping back up to Division 2 this year, […]

  • City Donating Land for Modular Home Manufacturing Facility

    The Sturgeon Bay Common Council has tentatively agreed to donate two city-owned lots in the industrial park to the Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) for a modular-home manufacturing facility. The two lots fronting Keel Court and Leeward Street total 3.83 acres and are valued, with incentives subtracted, at $38,300. Julie Schmelzer, DCEDC’s director of […]

  • Hal Prize Winner Teaches Worldbuilding at Write On

    Write On, Door County is offering two new online workshops.  Hal Prize winner Rebecca Zornow will lead Hobbits, Heroes and Hovercrafts: Building Your Speculative Fiction Novel or Short Story on Feb. 22, 4-5:30 pm, via Zoom, to share with participants how to create engaging fantasy/science fiction. Topics will include worldbuilding, readers’ expectations, and drafting and […]

  • Book Recommendation: “His Only Wife” by Peace Adzo Medie

    His Only Wife by Peace Adzo MedieRecommended by Grace Johnson, Peninsula Pulse staffer and bibliophile I typically don’t reach for romance-focused books, so instead I’m recommending something romance adjacent. Rather than being a story about the fluff of love, His Only Wife explores the intersections of toxic relationships, culture and feminism. Afi Tekple is a […]

  • Exploring the Library: Hoopla BingePass is Here

    by Laura Kayacan, Adult Services Librarian, Door County Library  What’s all the recent hoopla about at Door County Library? Many library users have discovered Hoopla Digital, a platform through which people can access e-books, audiobooks, music, movies, comics and television series. With Hoopla and your library card, you can check out five items per month […]

  • Old Tech Offers New Opportunities for Visually Impaired

    Altrusa Club and Door County Library collaborate in Playaway initiative Some 6.3% of all Door County residents self-identify as having “vision difficulty” – 299 people (2%) ages 18-64, and 338 people ages 65 and older (4.3%) – according to a Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services report that used data from the 2015-19 U.S. […]

  • What Artists Are Reading: Books every artist should have on their shelf

    Walk into any artist’s studio, and, along with the art and the materials needed to create the art, you’ll likely find a healthy collection of books about the craft written by other artists. Here, Door County artists share some of their most inspirational reads and why these tomes continue to have a place on their […]

  • Learn About Final Five Voting with League of Women Voters

    The League of Women Voters of Door County will host a virtual program on Feb. 24, 7 pm, to discuss ranked voting. Legislation has been introduced in both the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate to create a new way of electing our representatives at all levels of government using a “ranked voting” method. Sara Eskrich of […]

  • Celebrating National FFA Week

    At a time where so many traditional experiences have been paused or adjusted, Future Farmers of America (FFA) members continue to find opportunities for personal growth, school leadership and community involvement as they celebrate National FFA Week, Feb. 19-26. The Wisconsin Association of FFA, consisting of 252 chapters and 19,908 FFA members, develops students who […]

  • Wild Things: DNR Nets Record Windfall

    More than $43.6 million coming from feds by KEVIN NAZE [email protected] Record purchases of firearms, ammunition, fuel and fishing equipment have led to a jackpot for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR).  Long underfunded from both sides of the political aisle, the DNR will have few excuses not to ramp up its efforts to […]

  • Perspective: Honoring Essential Supermarket Employees

    by KAAREN NORTHROP One of the proud owners of the Main Street Market in Egg Harbor February 22 has been designated Supermarket Employees Day by FMI, The Food Industry Association, and this year marks the second annual celebration.  Last year we were in the midst of the pandemic, and as “essential” workers, the industry thought […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Vote Blue for Jobs and Families

    Many thanks to Indivisible Door County for its informative ad in the Feb. 11 Pulse. We all yearn to see a rising economy and wise presidential stewardship so that all Americans – not just the super rich – can have meaningful work, feed and house their families, access effective medical care, educate their children and engage […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Routine Democratic Letter Writers Bully and Preach

    Regular readers of the Pulse have likely noticed that there are Democrats, some of whom are members of the Democratic Party of Door County, who routinely write to this publication. They frequently insult and accuse all Republicans (not to be confused with elected officials) of the most sinister activities. These usual suspects offend 50% of […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Who Should Decide What to Do with Wisconsin’s Budget Surplus?

    Last week, Gov. Evers unveiled his budget plan, calling for giving taxpayers a break and refunding some of the largest budget surplus in Wisconsin’s history, on track to be $3.8 billion at the end of 2023. His proposal calls for spending less than half of that amount, $1.7 billion, by sending every Wisconsinite $150, restoring […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Time to Step Up to Save Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower

    On Jan. 27, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources held a public virtual meeting and comment period regarding plans for the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower. During this meeting, I felt that the majority of contributors, including state Sen. André Jacque and state Assembly Rep. Joel Kitchens, were in favor of trying to save the […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Reasonable Motives Drove Republican Actions

    A recent letter to the Peninsula Pulse suggested that because Republicans did not support the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), they don’t want to invest in their communities. My purpose in writing is not to debate the merits of those two items as it sounds like the money went for worthy causes.  However, the main […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Dumbing Down and Deskilling Kids

    During the 1990s, when I first heard that standardized tests “dumb down and deskill kids,” I thought that was ridiculous. They were one of the tools I used to diagnose the needs of youth in two prisons and K-12 public schools. I was wrong.  The constitution defines education as a state/local issue. After the turn […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Voice Your Support for Restoring Potawatomi State Park Tower

    There’s still time to voice your support for restoring the Potawatomi State Park Tower – before it’s too late.  The 75-foot tower was built in 1931. During the years before it was closed in 2017, we took friends and families up to catch the incredible views of Sawyer Harbor, the Sturgeon Bay ship canal and […]

  • Obituary: Allan C. Gustafson

    December 12, 1931 ~ February 13, 2022 Allan Charles Gustafson, 90, of Sturgeon Bay, died at home on Feb. 13, 2022.  He was born Dec. 12, 1931, to Clarence and Irene (Corbisier) Gustafson.  He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. Allan loved fishing, hunting, camping and sitting around a campfire.  […]

  • Obituary: Nicole Marie Severson

    March 6, 1987 ~ February 1, 2022 Nicole Marie Severson, 34, died on February 1, 2022, at her home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Her devoted family was at her side as she fought her final battle with cancer. Nicole was born March 6, 1987, to Jean (Gwen) and Darrel Severson, joining her older brother Kyle, and sister […]

  • Obituary: R. Bruce Olson

    November 27, 1928 ~ February 7, 2022 R. Bruce Olson, 93, of Ephraim, died unexpectedly on Monday, February 7, 2022 at Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village in Sister Bay. He was born November 27, 1928 in Ephraim, son of the late Martin Joseph Sr. and Fannie Thorp (Skidmore) Olson. Bruce is survived by his sister, Priscilla […]

  • Obituary: Bernard Jay Anderko

    December 1, 1941 ~ February 2, 2022 Bernard Jay Anderko, 80, of Sturgeon Bay, died Wednesday morning, February 2, 2022 at the Pete and Jelaine Horton Skilled Nursing and Hospice Care Center at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay. He was born December 1, 1941 in South Fork, PA, the son of Joseph Jack […]

  • Obituary: Rev. Darrick Peter Kolterjahn

    February 5, 1946 ~ February 10, 2022 Darrick Peter Kolterjahn was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin on February 5, 1946.  He was the first of three children with which the Lord blessed his parents, Edward Kolterjahn and Elaine nee Marquardt. Darrick was brought to faith in his Savior by the power of the Holy Spirit through […]

  • Obituary: Lynne M. Weborg

    January 5, 1943 ~ February 10, 2022 Lynne Marie (Lautenbach) Weborg, 79, Sturgeon Bay died at her home on February 10, 2022.  She was born January 5, 1943, in Sturgeon Bay to Donald and Helen Lautenbach.  Lynne grew up in Egg Harbor where her family owned “Casey’s Inn”.  Along with her four siblings and two […]

  • Obituary: Margaret “Marge” Ann Albee

    September 24, 1940 ~ February 8, 2022 “Marge” Margaret Ann Albee, 81, of Sturgeon Bay, died Tuesday morning, February 8, 2022, at Aurora BayCare Medical Center in Green Bay. She was an accomplished seamstress, compassionate home hospice worker, capable and experienced Certified Nursing Assistant, entrepreneur, loving mother/grandmother/great-grandmother, cheerful companion, uplifting friend, and dedicated Catholic. Marge […]

  • Obituary: Leona (Dufek) Wiese

    March 15, 1924 ~ February 9, 2022 In a life spanning nearly a century, Leona (Dufek) Wiese peacefully died at 97 years old, surrounded by family on Feb. 9, 2022. She was born March 15th, 1924, and spent much of her life close to the land – raising a family and running a dairy farm […]

  • Obituary: Lucy M. Jauquet

    August 12, 1916 ~ February 8, 2022 Lucy Mary Jauquet, 105, formerly of Brussels, died at Anna’s Health Care in New Franken on Feb. 8, 2022.  She was born Aug. 12, 1916, in Duvall to Jule and Mary (Jeanquart) Marchant. In 1936, she married John Jauquet, he preceded her in death on Jan. 8, 1997.  […]

  • Obituary: Steven R. Kosmoski

    March 12, 1949 ~ February 7, 2022 Steven R. Kosmoski, 72 years of Sturgeon Bay, died Monday, February 7, 2022, while at home with his beloved wife, Carol at his side following a devastatingly fast acting cancer appearing a few weeks ago. He was born March 12, 1949, in Green Bay, the son of the […]

  • Obituary: Earl Jerabek

    January 17, 1951 – February 7, 2022 Earl Jerabek, 71, Town of Casco resident, died at his home Monday, February 7th, 2022. He is joining his sister, Elaine, whom he missed so much. Now they’re farming together in heaven. He was born January 17th, 1951. He attended Rosebud grade school for 8 years, Casco High […]

  • Obituary: Karen Blohme Moore

    January 26, 2022 Karen Blohme Moore died unexpectedly January 26, 2022, at Lake Forest Hospital on the dawn of her 77th birthday, with the love of her life, Craig, by her side. Karen is survived by her devoted husband of 55 years, Craig Moore; her loving children, Jeff (Julie) Moore of Lake Forest and Lauren Moore […]

  • Obituary: Thomas Michael Rowinski III

    December 19, 1955 ~ February 6, 2022 Thomas Michael Rowinski III, 66, of Gills Rock, formerly of Eagle, died late Sunday afternoon, February 6, 2022, at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay with his family by his side. He was born December 19, 1955, in Milwaukee, son of Thomas Michael Rowinski, Jr. and Marcia […]