Navigation

Peninsula Pulse Jan 13-20, 2023

Published

In this issue

  • DNR Provides $50,000 to Rural Counties for E-Cycling

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting applications for the E-Cycle Wisconsin Electronics Collection Grant for entities that will host an electronics collection site or event in 2023 or early 2024. The DNR will give priority to projects in Florence, Forest, Iron and Marquette counties because they do not have a registered permanent […]

  • Intro to Beekeeping

    The Door County Beekeepers Club is hosting an informative, interactive workshop on Feb. 4, 8 am – 12 pm, to teach participants about basic equipment, tools and techniques; how to choose the best hive location; how to obtain and install bees; and what to expect during the first year of beekeeping. All participants will receive […]

  • Learn About Gardening Trends

    What will the next decade bring in terms of changing trends and their impact on gardening? Ed Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens at Iowa State University, will share his insights when he kicks off this year’s lecture series for the Door County Master Gardeners Association on Jan. 19, 6:30 pm. Lyon has seen many trends […]

  • Time Is Running Out to Treat Ash Trees

    Northeastern Wisconsin forestry experts predict that emerald ash borers will kill more than 90% of all the large ash trees in Door County during the next few years, but property owners still may be able to save some prized trees. Tree owners need to start planning this winter if they want to take action, said […]

  • Octogenarian Protects Her Land for the Future

    Ahnapee headwaters now in a conservation easement Nature lover, dog trainer, hunter and energetic octogenarian Patricia Nell didn’t want to see her land or the waters downstream from it spoiled, but as she grew older, she said, it became “harder and harder to take care of land like this.” Nell, 87, said that until a […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Evie

    Evie is a sweet, 6-year-old dog who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. This lovable pooch weighs 36 pounds, enjoys giving hugs and going for walks, and would do best as the only dog in her home. Like all dogs at WHS, Evie (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=51616345) has been spayed, vaccinated and […]

  • New Lockers at Island’s Rec Center

    The Washington Island Foundation has received three recent grant awards – from the Raibrook Foundation, Green Bay Packers Foundation and Door County Community Foundation – to replace worn and aging lockers at the Washington Island Recreation Center. This is part of Renovating the Rec, a multi-year effort to make needed upgrades and building improvements. The Rec Center […]

  • Red Kettle Matching Donation

    (From left) John Ortlieb, community coordinator for the Salvation Army Red Kettle drive, accepted a $500 check from Ed Cross of the Algoma Knights of Columbus. The group matched the first $250 each day when its members staffed the kettle.

  • Nicolet Bank Donates to Neighbor to Neighbor

    The Nicolet National Bank Foundation has donated $500 to Neighbor to Neighbor, a local nonprofit that provides short-term medical-equipment loans for people of all ages, peer companions for homebound individuals, respite for family caregivers and the Lemonade Club cancer-survivor support group. All services are provided free of charge. In 2021, Neighbor to Neighbor served 1,654 […]

  • Giv’er Fest Raises Funds for Secret Santa

    The Mink River Basin in Ellison Bay raised $3,346 for the Secret Santa program during its Giv’er Fest in December. Corey Diltz (left) and Linden Ray (right) of Mink River Basin presented the check to Jane Lee (center) of Secret Santa.

  • Altrusa Donation Buys Audiobooks

    The Altrusa Club of Door County presented the Door County Library with a check for $1,200 to purchase audiobooks. Literacy for the Visually Impaired – a project to provide Playaway audiobooks and Wonder Books – helps to promote reading for all ages of readers who experience vision problems. With the presentation of this check, in one […]

  • Door-Tran Receives $7,000 Grant

    Door-Tran has been awarded a Legacy Grant of $7,088.22 by the Wispact Foundation – funding that will allow the organization to provide half-price taxi vouchers to Door County residents with disabilities.  “Taxis, which are independently owned, make them ineligible to receive any state or federal assistance for their operating costs,” said Nikki Voight, Door-Tran’s executive director. […]

  • Discussion Group on Death

    Those interested in talking about death and the afterlife are invited to participate in an open discussion group where all beliefs are welcomed and respected. The next meeting will be held Jan. 19, 1-2:30 pm, at the ADRC of Door County, 916 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay.  Steve Freier – who has spent more than […]

  • Hope United Offers Mental-Health Education

    As Hope United Church in Sturgeon Bay continues to explore certification as a WISE (Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive and Engaged) congregation, it will present educational opportunities to increase understanding of mental illness and the people it affects. Sheriff Tammy Sternard will present the next program – on mental health and the justice system – on Jan. 22, […]

  • Women’s Giving Circle Meets Jan. 23

    The next quarterly meeting of the 100+ Women Who Care Door County (100+WWC) giving circle will be held Jan. 23, 6:30-7:30 pm, both in person at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor, and via livestream. Registration and social hour will begin at 5:30 pm. Three nonprofits will be considered this quarter: We […]

  • Hope Church Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr.

    Hope United Church of Christ is celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday with a free program Jan. 15, 9 am. All are welcome. The service following the program at the church, 141 S. 12th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, will also be dedicated to King’s memory. 

  • Open Door Pride, Cherry Lanes Host Mixer

    Open Door Pride and Cherry Lanes Arcade Bar are co-hosting their first Fun Night Pride mixer of 2023 on Jan. 17, 6-9 pm. This free event – with games aplenty – is open to all ages. Meet Open Door Pride members, and learn about how the organization’s mission to affirm and celebrate diversity in Door County […]

  • Cognitive Decline Linked to Ultra-Processed Foods

    For many Americans, improving what they eat is often at the top of their New Year’s resolutions list – and for good reason. Ultra-processed foods make up more than half of Americans’ diets, and research presented at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference suggests that eating such foods for more than 20% of caloric intake […]

  • Training for Nonprofit Leaders

    UW-Green Bay is launching an on-demand, self-paced training program for existing or aspiring nonprofit board members who want to become more effective in their work to improve the quality of life in their communities.  Developed by the Nonprofit Education and Development Network, the Rewards and Responsibilities of Board Service Program distills core knowledge into training […]

  • Governor’s Business Plan Contest Open for 2023

    The 20th Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest is accepting entries online for the 2023 competition. The Wisconsin Technology Council produces the contest to encourage entrepreneurs statewide who are in the start-up stages of tech-based businesses. Entries will be accepted until Jan. 31 at 11:59 pm. For initial entries, contestants must submit a 250-word idea abstract […]

  • Co-Op Stock Retirement Checks Mailed

    The Door County Cooperative began mailing more than $165,000 to local residents as part of its stock retirement program. Qualifying members will receive a check for 5% of the total stock they’ve earned in the company. Co-op members own more than $5 million of equity. Annual profits of the Door County Cooperative are distributed to […]

  • Networking Association Honors Gonzales

    Jodi Rose Gonzales was recently named the 2022 Top Artist and Empowered Woman by the International Association of Top Professionals. Gonzales – a visual artist, art therapist, yoga teacher, author, and the owner of Enclave and Jodi Rose Studio – focuses on healing and empowerment through creativity. She offers clinical art therapy, money-mindset coaching and mental-wellness […]

  • Rheins Moving Practice to Sister Bay

    Courtney Rheins will be moving her practice to Door County Medical Center’s (DCMC) Sister Bay clinic upon its spring 2023 opening. She has been a nurse practitioner in DCMC’s internal medicine department for nearly a year and recently began seeing patients in the Fish Creek clinic. To learn more, establish care with Rheins at the […]

  • DCEDC Offers Entrepreneurial Training Program

    The Door County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) is hosting an entrepreneurial training program that business experts from the UW-Green Bay Small Business Development Center will facilitate. The center’s director, Tara Carr, will teach participants how to identify customers, determine their needs, analyze that information and create a feasible plan for starting or growing a business. […]

  • Hatco’s Christoferson Recognized for Service

    Steve Christoferson recently received a certificate of appreciation and a glass print for serving a three-year term on the board of the Door County Economic Development Corporation. He represented the manufacturing sector in his role as vice president of manufacturing at Hatco Corporation. Christoferson, a Door County native, retired at the end of December from […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Supporting Scandia Village

    Across the country, health care facilities such as hospitals and senior-care centers are facing unprecedented challenges. Though not necessarily caused by the pandemic, the challenges have been exacerbated by the pandemic, and in many cases, have been brought to a crisis point.  In northern Door County, our own Scandia Village has not been spared these […]

  • Letter to the Editor: April Supreme Court Election Urgent for Fair Maps

    On April 4, 2023, we citizens of Wisconsin have a chance to fix the problem of unfair maps: gerrymandered voting districts that give one party a structural advantage over the other party. This is simply wrong, by either Democrats or Republicans.  Currently, and for the past decade in Wisconsin, unfair voting districts have given Republicans […]

  • The Year of Local Government Involvement

    Almost half of all Door County municipalities have contested races for the upcoming spring election The April 4 election will be dominated by races for local offices, with voters electing the people who populate city, village and town boards and have the most immediate impact on local communities and residents.  The filing deadline to run […]

  • No One Running for Office in Town of Sturgeon Bay

    The pending spring election has drawn more candidates than usual this year in almost half of Door County’s municipalities, but the news isn’t so good for the Town of Sturgeon Bay. For the first time in 30 years, and likely for the first time ever, no one will be on the ballot for the chair […]

  • Ephraim Says No to Wine and Liquor Sales

    After nearly a year of deliberation and many hours spent carefully crafting an ordinance with the village attorney, Ephraim’s board of trustees voted at its Tuesday meeting against issuing Class A liquor licenses.  The license would have allowed the sale of wine and liquor for off-premise consumption, similar to retail stores such as Firefly and […]

  • County Resisting Zoning Change

    The Door County Board of Supervisors closed out 2022 with a one-of-a-kind situation that involved Resource Planning Committee (RPC) members reneging on their support of a request that had come from the Town of Liberty Grove. The town had petitioned the county to allow two additional types of businesses in Heartland-10 (HL-10) zoning: auto repair […]

  • Editor’s Note: “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop”

    It’s considered one of the greatest speeches of our time – “an improvised masterpiece” – Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.  King delivered his mountaintop speech on April 3, 1968, in Mason Temple in Memphis, Tennessee. It would be his last. He was assassinated the next day, shot dead by James […]

  • Baileys Harbor Moves Forward with Two Nelson Property Projects

    The Baileys Harbor Town Board decided in December to move forward with two projects that are part of the plan to turn the former Nelson property into a public park. One of the projects is design development of the waterfront, park and beach. Edgewater Resources, the consulting firm that the town is working with on […]

  • Shelved Sturgeon Bay Project Opens West Waterfront Site to Possible NERR Visitor Center

    Now that a development project on Sturgeon Bay’s West Waterfront is no longer proceeding, a fourth city-owned site has been added to the offerings to attract the Bay of Green Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) visitor center to Sturgeon Bay. In his report to the Sturgeon Bay Common Council, community development director Marty Olejniczak […]

  • Active-Shooter Training at Door County Schools

    Members of the Door County Sheriff’s Office, Sturgeon Bay Police Department, Sturgeon Bay Fire Department and Door County Emergency Services took part in a joint active-shooter training exercise Jan. 4, and they will be conducting more throughout the month.

  • Rep. Joel Kitchens Tapped to Chair Education Committee

    Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) has been named chair of the Assembly Committee on Education for the 2023-24 legislative session. Kitchens, who was previously chair of the Assembly Environment Committee, will now be the vice chair of that committee. He also will continue to serve as a member of the Committee on Agriculture and the […]

  • Longtime Sturgeon Bay Firefighter Retires

    Todd Ploor receives a plaque while being recognized Jan. 3 by Sturgeon Bay fire chief Tim Dietman and Mayor David Ward upon Ploor’s retirement as a part-time firefighter after 26½ years of service.

  • New EMR Crew Chief in Baileys Harbor

    Dan Kiehnau was appointed emergency medical responder (EMR) crew chief at a Baileys Harbor Town Board meeting Dec. 9. Kiehnau will take over for former EMR crew chief Bill Reifsnyder, who resigned in December 2022 after 12 years of service. Two members of the EMR crew expressed interest in the crew chief position, so instead […]

  • Egg Harbor to Unveil Updated Highway 42 Plans

    The Village of Egg Harbor will host a meeting Jan. 18 to unveil updated plans for the Highway 42 reconstruction project slated to begin this fall. That meeting – scheduled for 5 pm at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor – will include updated renderings and plans. Last summer, property owners expressed concern about […]

  • Liberty Grove Seeks Bids for Mariner’s Park Plan

    Progress has moved slowly at Mariner’s Park in Gills Rock as the Town of Liberty Grove first waited for the previous property owner to move, then for that house to be moved, and finally to investigate what to do with several old fishing buildings on the site. The town received no bids to move those […]

  • Washington Island Sportsman’s Club Backs Pilot Island Petition

    The Washington Island Sportsman’s Club is urging Door County residents to support an online petition related to the future use of Pilot Island. The petition drive is a follow-up to a two-hour public meeting the club arranged in October on Washington Island with representatives from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), which now manages […]

  • CollegeReady’s Scholarship Application Open

    CollegeReady is accepting 2023 scholarship applications from area high school seniors through March 28 at 3 pm. These scholarships are available to students who are graduating from an accredited Brown or Door County high school, with some opportunities extended to seniors throughout the northeastern Wisconsin north region.  Whether eligible candidates plan to attend a fully […]

  • Kewaunee Farm Technology Days Announces Scholarship

    The Kewaunee County Farm Technology Days’ Scholarship Committee is accepting applications until Jan. 31 from students who are attending accredited schools beyond the first half of their postsecondary education – the third or fourth year of a four-year college, the second year of a two-year program, or the second half of a program.  One student graduate […]

  • Northern Door Pride Offers Inaugural Scholarship

    Northern Door Pride (NDP) is launching a $1,000 scholarship for a 2023 Door County graduating senior who exemplifies and advocates for diversity, inclusion and kindness. Those in the organization hope that by recognizing an individual’s contribution to making a kinder space, that person will continue to grow, flourish and make a difference.  Find application materials […]

  • Gibraltar Going to Voters for $29.8 Million for School Building

    Board hires architect and construction manager, approves referendum question The Gibraltar Area School Board has hired Milwaukee-based construction-management and architectural firms with experience building schools while classes are in session.  On Monday, the board voted 7-0 not only to place a $29.8 million building-referendum question on the April 4 ballot, but also unanimously chose CG […]

  • Peninsula Players’ Play Reading Series Returns Feb. 6

    Peninsula Players Theater will kick off its free, annual winter play-reading series, The Play’s the Thing, in February at Björklunden. There will be no virtual option this year, so masking is encouraged but not required. The first reading, by Christopher G. Smith, will be presented in conjunction with Door County Reads on Feb. 6, 7 […]

  • Rogue Theater Casting for 2023 Season

    Rogue Theater is conducting auditions for its summer and fall 2023 productions. It’s looking for several adult men and women, as well as teens aged 14-19. Productions will include comedy, improvisation and drama.  Auditions will be held Jan. 19, 6 pm, and Jan. 21, 1 pm, at the Sturgeon Bay Library, 107 S. 4th Ave. […]

  • Play Reading Club Looks at New York Theater

    Third Avenue PlayWorks and the Door County Library will host the next meeting of their Play Reading Club on Jan. 18, 3:30 pm, to discuss Alice Childress’ Trouble in Mind. This 1955 play – which finally premiered on Broadway in 2021 – is a funny, moving and heartbreaking look at racism, identity and ego in […]

  • A Taste of Broadway in Egg Harbor

    The songs of Wicked, Heathers, Mean Girls and more will come to Egg Harbor on Jan. 14, 7 pm, in the form of Broadway with a Twist: A Cabaret.  The event from Northern Door Pride features the talents of Logan Thomas, Owen Alabado, Branden Bogenschutz, Zephyr Ciesar, Abby Duebler and pianist Kate Hussey in a […]

  • Bits and Bites: Dinner Specials, Wine Fest

    Dinner Specials at Sip Sip, the new coffee shop and wine bar in north Ephraim, is offering dinner specials this winter. Check out taco night on Mondays, trivia night with rotating dinner specials on Tuesdays, and cribbage and pasta night on Wednesdays. To join in the trivia fun, sign up with your team of three […]

  • WINE TRAILS: The Confidence of Steve Johnson of Door 44

    “Would you like a glass of wine while we talk?” I wasn’t sure whether the question was meant to be rhetorical. I didn’t want to take any chances, so I answered in the affirmative.  I was about to meet with a man whose name I had heard numerous times during my meetings with Door County […]

  • Wild Things: Giant Muskie Hooked on Green Bay

    Hedsand caught 55-incher just prior to ice-up by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected], Peninsula Pulse contributor Door County’s roller coaster of a winter continued this week as Mother Nature teased ice anglers with a few cold nights, followed by another mild spell. The 10-day forecast isn’t much better, with highs often above freezing and lows mainly in […]

  • Lampert Becoming Wisconsin Building Supply

    Lampert Lumber will be completing a transition this year to become Wisconsin Building Supply. Both entities have been part of U.S. LBM Holdings for the past eight years, and a statement from the company said the decision was made with customers’ interests in mind. The staff will remain the same, but staff shirts, signs, email […]

  • Self-Care Courses for the New Year

    Are you in need of more self-care, reflection and deep rest this year? Are you looking for resources to support your New Year’s resolutions? Enclave by Jodi Rose Studio is offering winter programs informed by art therapy and yoga philosophy that include retreats, mini workshops and classes designed to help participants rest, restore and look […]

  • 2024 Write On Residency Applications Open

    Write On, Door County is accepting applications for 2024 residencies for writers and literary arts administrators through April 1. Residencies of one week to one month are available to both emerging and established writers in any genre.  New for 2024, Write On has set aside March, September and November for those who do not want […]

  • Door County Reads 2023 Poetry Contest

    As part of its 2023 programming, Door County Reads is hosting a poetry contest in three categories – youth, teens and adults – that will be administered by the Door County Library and Write On, Door County.  The featured read is Raft of Stars by Andrew Graff, and the contest is inspired by one of […]

  • Book Recommendation: ‘All Systems Red’ by Martha Wells

    Recommended by GRACE JOHNSON, Peninsula Pulse staffer and bibliophile Part of the Murderbot Diaries, Wells’ first installment in this sci-fi novella series – and one full-length novel – is a great way to start out your year in reading. It’s short, funny and at times heartwarming. The series follows a government-created security android that has managed […]

  • Novel Bay Offers Subscription Service

    For Megan Dietz and her family, reading has become more than a tool for entertainment. When Megan’s mother, Jane, was diagnosed with dementia five years ago, her family wanted to find something she could use to help exercise her mind. Jane was an avid reader already, so the family looked into book subscription services to […]

  • Ski for Free

    Explore the Outdoors at Crossroads

    Students of elementary-school age can learn about ecosystems through the free Discovery Outdoors Club at Crossroads at Big Creek. The Jan. 14, 2 pm, program will explore ice and what can be found beneath the surface. If the weather is bad, the outdoor-discovery program will move indoors. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Join Tom […]

  • 2016 myTEAM TRIUMPH’s. Door County Half Marathon. Len Villano.

    Christian Jensen Stepping Down at myTEAM TRIUMPH

    Christian Jensen – the founder and the only executive director thus far in the 13-year run of myTEAM TRIUMPH (mTT) – has announced he’s stepping down from his role Jan. 30 and moving on to a position with St. John’s Ministries in Green Bay.  myTEAM TRIUMPH provides support for people with diverse abilities to come together […]

  • A History of Christmas Bird Counts in Door County

    My late husband, Roy, and I were involved in conducting annual Christmas bird counts for many years. He began doing them in Kewaunee, from 1958 through 1970, and when he started working for The Ridges Sanctuary, he and Harold Wilson initiated the Ephraim count in 1963. After that, Roy did the counts every year until […]

  • Tickets Available for Fire & Ice Gala

    Destination Sturgeon Bay and Stone Harbor Resort have announced details for the city’s biggest winter celebration. The 2023 Fire & Ice gala, set for Feb. 18 at Stone Harbor Resort, will feature a special performance by Fox Valley Fire Arts, live music from Pink Houses – a nine-piece Wisconsin-based band – and a fireworks show […]

  • Door Community Auditorium Launches Eclectic Winter Series

    Get engaged, inspired and entertained with a vibrant winter season at Door Community Auditorium.  Check out cozy concerts with local favorites in the Coffeehouse Concert series, thought-provoking lectures in the Door County Talks series, and stunning performances on the main stage all winter long. Plus, there’s the new participatory series called Let’s Play coming your […]

  • Cabin Fever Night at Peninsula School of Art

    Peninsula School of Art will host its second winter art-making night for adults. Following the success of its Gingerbread Bash in 2021, the school launched Cabin Fever Nights, a series of adults-only (21 and older) events with fun creative offerings and complimentary drinks and snacks. The next Cabin Fever Night will feature valentine prints Jan. […]

  • New Year, New Hues for Door County Artists

    Local artists share their New Year’s resolutions We asked seven local artists what their New Year’s resolutions are, and we received seven very different answers. Some want to try new media; some want to return to past projects and passions; and one wants to rethink what it means to create. Claudia Scimeca Claudia Scimeca of […]

  • Obituary: Peter John Stoffel

    December 7, 1961 ~ January 9, 2023 Peter John Stoffel, 61, of the Village of Howard, formerly of the Town of Sevastopol, died at home, Monday morning, January 9, 2023. He was born December 7, 1961 in Seville, Spain, the son of William Michael Stoffel and Elaine Regina (Haen) Stoffel. Bill was serving overseas with […]

  • Your Right to Know: Here’s to a More Transparent 2023

    by CHRISTA WESTERBERG As ever, 2022 was a roller-coaster year for open government.   The Wisconsin Supreme Court made it harder for requesters to recover attorneys’ fees for open-records suits, but it also issued a ruling to prevent outsiders from blocking responses to open-records requests. Elections officials struggled under the weight of open-records requests during the […]

  • Sturgeon Bay to Honor the legacy of Jim Benesh Thursday

    When you step onto the court of a men’s league recreational basketball game and your opponent puts in a mouthguard, you know you’re in for a battle. That’s what you got with Jim Benesh, a competitive bulldog on the court, on the sidelines, in the dugout and when facing the toughest opponent of his life […]

  • Obituary: Don L. Mueller

    October 19, 1941 ~ January 1, 2023 Don Lawrence Mueller, age 81, died on January 1, 2023, surrounded by his family. Don was born on October 19, 1941, in Kewaunee, WI to Elmer and Elizabeth (Roidt) Mueller.  He graduated from Kewaunee High School with the class of 1959.  He attended the University of Wisconsin Extension – Green Bay […]

  • Obituary: Paul S. Jacobson

    October 27, 1934 ~ January 6, 2023 Paul S. Jacobson, 88, of Sturgeon Bay, died on Jan. 6, 2023.  He was born Oct. 27, 1934, in Mason City, Iowa to George and Irene (Sexton) Harmon.  On Dec. 31, 1953, he married Beth M. Blomiley in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Paul was a middle school teacher for […]

  • Obituary: Lt. Col. Cherie J. Boudwin, USA (Ret.)

    October 27, 1944 ~ January 3, 2023 Lt. Col. Cherie Jeanne Marie Boudwin, USA (Ret.), “Cookie” to those who knew and loved her, 78, of Sturgeon Bay, died Tuesday afternoon, January 3, 2023 at Door County Medical Center in Sturgeon Bay. She was born October 27, 1944 at the (former) Dorchester Hospital in Sturgeon Bay, […]

  • Obituary: Gary Ebert

    September 26, 1938 ~ January 2, 2023 Gary Ebert, 84, of Washington Island, died on Monday, January 2, 2023. He is survived by his daughter, Crystal (Bob) Beller; son, Tim (Vicky McDonald) Ebert; stepchildren, Heather (Dan) Ludington McDevitt and Mike (Olga) Piehler; grandchildren, Gary (Jill Solomon) Beller and Maddie (Marshall) Blake; six great-grandchildren; brother, Dick […]