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Peninsula Pulse June 10-17, 2022

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  • Door County History Days Schedule of Events

    MONDAY, JUNE 20 History Days Kickoff  Door County Maritime Museum 120 N. Madison Ave., Sturgeon Bay 9-10 am. The official start of Door County History Days at the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay. Representatives from participating organizations throughout Door County, members of the media and other stakeholders will gather for a meet-and-greet, the […]

  • First History Days A Celebration of the Peninsula’s Heritage

    For the first time ever, cultural institutions in Door County are coming together to celebrate the peninsula’s history and heritage with Door County History Days.  The week-long celebration features events and programs from 14 institutions across the county June 20-26. From the Belgian Heritage Center in Southern Door County to Jacobsen Museum on Washington Island, […]

  • Development Agreement Approved for More New Housing

    A development agreement for building a 68-unit apartment project next to the Cherry Point Mall in Tax Increment District #6 was approved June 7 by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council. City Administrator Josh VanLieshout said the agreement between the city and Fire Lane Rentals formalizes the terms negotiated between the two parties for the developer […]

  • Agreement Approved for Duluth Avenue Sidewalk Extension

    An agreement between the City of Sturgeon Bay, County of Door and 911 Green Bay Road Partners for installing sidewalk along South Duluth Avenue (County S) was approved last week by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council as part of its consent agenda. The property known as Woldt’s Corner Pub at the southwest corner of Highway […]

  • Water-Weed Management Needs Improvement, Residents Say

    The Sturgeon Bay Common Council heard last week from residents in the area along Memorial Drive, where the growth of aquatic weeds is among the most problematic in the bay of Sturgeon Bay.  Resident Mike Langenhorst took exception to the city’s management of aquatic plants, a practice the city undertakes seasonally to help boats navigate […]

  • Little Lake Restoration on Hold with Bids over Budget

    Work to restore the shoreline at Bradley Lake – the body of water at Sunset Park commonly referred to as Little Lake – is on hold after the two bids that the City of Sturgeon Bay received were hundreds of thousands of dollars above the budgeted amount. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council agreed last week […]

  • Gov. Evers Calls Special Session to Defend Reproductive Health Care Access

    Gov. Tony Evers signed an executive order last week calling the Wisconsin State Legislature to a special session June 22 to take up legislation to repeal Wisconsin’s criminal abortion ban.  The governor’s special-session call comes as a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization – regarding a Mississippi law prohibiting […]

  • Tiny School Makes Big Splash: Washington Island SeaPerch Team Earns 14th Place in World Competition

    Four students from one of Wisconsin’s tiniest schools can forever say that their underwater robot finished 14th in a world competition. After finishing first in the state in a challenge to engineer, build and operate the best remotely operated vehicle (ROV), a Washington Island middle school squad this month finished among the top 6% of […]

  • Vandenhouten is New Southern Door Elementary Principal

    The Southern Door County School District has chosen a familiar face to return to the district as elementary principal starting July 1.  During a June 8 Board of Education special meeting, former teacher and alumnus Marc Vandenhouten was named the new Southern Door Elementary principal, selected from a pool of 34 candidates. The position became […]

  • Becoming Visible: The Past and Present of Door County’s LGBTQ+ Community

    When Open Door Pride (ODP) founder Cathy Grier first moved to Sturgeon Bay in 2016, she asked a local lesbian couple, “Where are we?”  As a lesbian herself, Grier wanted to connect with the LGBTQ+ community in the area, but she had no idea where to start. “Is there a club? Is there a bar? […]

  • Door County Moves from Low to High Community COVID-19 Transmission Risk

    In April 2022, there were 67 officially confirmed COVID-19 cases in Door County – official, because those who are testing with home kits are not included in the data. In May, that number jumped to 256. Meanwhile, there had been no new COVID-19 deaths since the end of March, and only two hospitalizations in June. […]

  • Hockers’ Campground Proposal Moves On to Resource Planning Commission

    A new proposal for a campground in the Town of Liberty Grove received unanimous approval from the town’s plan commission June 8.  Pat and Jill Hockers received the town’s endorsement for a conditional-use permit to build Camp Door, a 96-site campground on 48 acres that they own on the corner of County ZZ and Appleport […]

  • Foundation Awards $40k to Sturgeon Bay Seniors

    Maggie Stephens and Andrew Konop, both seniors at Sturgeon Bay High School, have been named recipients of the 2022 Bordui Foundation scholarship competition. Stephens will be awarded $20,000 to support her attendance at Georgetown University, and Konop will receive $20,000 toward his attendance at Michigan Technological University.  The foundation’s trustees chose the recipients after considering […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Clarifying Thoughts on the Deficit, Debt and Social Security

    In the May 6-13 edition of the Peninsula Pulse, Carol Jensen-Olson praised Biden and the Democrats for reducing the deficit.  She, like many citizens, probably doesn’t understand the difference between the deficit and the debt. The deficit is the year-to-year issue of the government spending more than it receives in revenue. The debt is the […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Door County Proud

    Driving through Sturgeon Bay on June 3, I was pleased to see the rainbow LGBTQIA+ flags flying in the shopping district. How welcoming and inclusive!  Politics today feel so divisive. It’s refreshing to promote unity. Sturgeon Bay will celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community again this year on June 25 at Martin Park. As the tourists flock […]

  • DNR Report Showcases Volunteer Contributions

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released the 2021 State Natural Area Volunteer Annual Report, which highlights the contributions of hundreds of volunteers at State Natural Areas across the state. Last year, volunteers dedicated more than 7,100 hours collecting and planting native seeds, removing invasive species and brush, and conducting prescribed burns at […]

  • Ridges Sanctuary Seeks Community Input

    The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor recently announced a master-plan initiative to explore the future preservation and growth of the organization, as well as the potential uses of the Ridges Inn property that’s under contract for the sanctuary to purchase.  A big part of that process is gathering input from the community, so tell The […]

  • Perennial Caution

    Door County Master Gardeners provided annuals and tomatoes, and shared years of know-how with visitors during their annual plant sale at the Peninsular Agricultural Research Station north of Sturgeon Bay over the weekend. But they also took precautionary measures to ensure that they didn’t share anything that could harm plant-sale patrons’ gardens, lawns or woodlands. […]

  • Senior Dining Sites Expand across Door County

    Through its recently expanded elder nutrition program, the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Door County offers seniors more meal options than ever. Those older than 60 can now enjoy a hot meal at – or take one home from – one of five dining sites in the county: Baileys Harbor, Liberty Grove, Brussels, Washington Island […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Jk

    Meet Jk! This quirky kitty is available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. Jk is 6 years old, weighs 10 pounds and would love to find a family to fit into.  Like all cats at WHS, Jk (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=50250751) has been neutered, vaccinated and microchipped, and he goes home with a […]

  • Sons of Norway Potluck, Program

    The Sons of Norway H.R. Holand Lodge will hold its monthly meeting June 14, 11 am, at Bay View Lutheran Church, 340 W. Maple St. in Sturgeon Bay. The meeting will include a potluck and program about Rock Island by Dixie Jorns. Don’t cook? No problem! Take some chips, pickles, sandwiches, fruit or other easy-to-prepare […]

  • Neighbor to Neighbor Hosts Annual Meeting

    Neighbor to Neighbor (NTN) will celebrate its achievements during its annual meeting June 28, 5 pm, at the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Door County, 916 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay.  The agenda will include program and agency updates, the financial report, election of board members, and volunteer awards. The regular monthly board […]

  • Discussion on Life, Death And the Afterlife

    Steve Freier, an afterlife researcher and writer for The Inner Voice Magazine, will host another community discussion group at the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of Door County, 916 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, on June 16, 1-2:30 pm. This open gathering for ages 18 and older invites all participants to discuss concerns, […]

  • Bread and Booyah Lunch at Belgian Heritage Center

    A Bread and Booyah lunch will be served at the Belgian Heritage Center (BHC) on June 26, 11 am – 1 pm. Booyah – a hearty soup typically cooked in outdoor kettles – is a traditional dish and a mainstay at gatherings in the Belgian settlement area.  A bonus for attendees at this year’s event will […]

  • United Way Child Care Survey

    Do you need child care on a regular basis during evenings, early hours and/or weekends? Are you an employer with staff members who need child care at these times or an employee who works nontraditional hours and is experiencing difficulty finding child care? As United Way of Door County works to make child care during […]

  • Four Generations of Gibraltar Grads

    Four generations of Gibraltar High School grads gathered in front of the school recently for this photo. (From left) April Moeller, Class of 1999; with her son, Kevin Krauel, Class of 2022; grandmother and great grandmother, Ellen Kiehnau, Class of 1951; Jade Toneys, Class of 2022; with her mother, Connie Toneys, Class of 1996; with […]

  • Merger Planned for Bellin Health and Gundersen Health

    Bellin Health and Gundersen Health System are deep into discussions about a planned merger. The entities have both served patients in their respective parts of Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa for well over 100 years.  The two health systems said that coming together would ensure the continued strength and improvement of robust […]

  • New Lending Corporation Seeks to Create Affordable Housing

    The lack of affordable, quality rental housing for year-round residents has long been identified as a significant issue in Door County, both in terms of furthering economic development and maintaining community stability and well-being. That’s part of the rationale, codified in a resolution, that the Door County Board of Supervisors gave when approving a half-million-dollar […]

  • Watch Out for Fake Money

    After a Washington Island business fell victim to the passing of a fake $100 bill last Friday, Police Chief Tyler McGrane put the word out to businesses across Door County to beware. “It has the right size, the right colors, but the paper does not feel the same,” McGrane said.  Such bills are not counterfeit […]

  • With J-1 Students Arriving, Wheels Are Wanted

    About 420 J-1 visa students began arriving last month to work in Door County businesses – numbers not seen since before the pandemic, when 520 came in 2019 and 494 arrived in 2018, according to data from BridgeUSA. The J-1 visa program allows college and university students to stay in the U.S. for four months, with […]

  • Getting Creative with Costumes

    Times of Future Past celebrates fan culture Calling all history buffs, anime fans and superhero lovers. Times of Future Past – a “festival for any era” – will return to Winter Park, ​​N3787 Ransom Moore Lane in Kewaunee, for year two June 11-12.  The activity lineup will include aerial-dance performances, fitness fun with Harley Quinn, special-effects demonstrations, […]

  • Door County Live Music (June 10-17)

    LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE>> Technically, the summer’s not here yet, but it is on stage. The county’s music calendar is packed with new faces and old favorites.  If you’re in the mood for Guinness-drinking tunes head to Waterfront Mary’s in Sturgeon Bay on Friday night for a blend of Celtic favorites from Gerry Sloan. No, it’s […]

  • Ephraim Fyr Bal is Back June 18

    The 56th annual Fyr Bal will be held along the shoreline of Eagle Harbor June 18. Celebrate Ephraim’s Scandinavian heritage and the transition of spring into summer at this day-long event. The festival starts off with a yoga class at Anderson Dock, a pancake breakfast and used book sale. The Fur Bal pet parade takes […]

  • Leadership Change for Door Shakespeare

    After four and a half years with Door Shakespeare, Michael Stebbins stepped down from his position as producing artistic director, effective May 31. Stebbins had intended to resign at the end of the year, but that plan was accelerated because of an injury that prevented him from being on-site with the theater this summer. Prior […]

  • Cory Chisel’s Big Backyard Party

    Singer takes the stage at Door County Beer Festival Cory Chisel grew up as the son of a classical musician mother, but for 40 years, he avoided following in her footsteps.  “I always felt her abilities were way beyond me as a child,” he says. “And it also seemed really hard.” But when the pandemic […]

  • Sól Grass Delivers Bluegrass to Washington Island

    Mention bluegrass music and thoughts of Appalachia, where the genre of American roots music began in the 1940s, may come to mind. Bluegrass music is a prominent piece of the cultural landscape there and, during the summer, bluegrass music festivals abound in the region.  But you don’t have to plan a 1,000-mile road trip to […]

  • Play it Forward, Patty Griffin Kick off DCA Season

    The Door Community Auditorium (DCA) presents its annual Play It Forward concert on June 12, 3 pm, at Stabbur in Sister Bay. The concert brings together some of Door County’s best-loved musicians to benefit a worthy cause. Performers include Doc Heide, Paul Taylor, Julian Hagen, Thor Thoreson, Rian Hill, Terry Murphy, John Lewis, Cathy Grier, […]

  • Meet Author Sue Jarosh this Summer

    Author Sue Jarosh will be offering summer book readings and signings around the county. Meet her at the Cana Island Lighthouse on June 10, 9 am – 3 pm, when she’ll sign her new book, Camden and the Cana Island Cat, as part of the Door County Lighthouse Festival. On June 18, she’ll be signing books […]

  • True Story of Sport, The Great Lakes Ship Dog

    Discover the true story of Sport, a rescue pup who sailed Lake Michigan during the early 1900s aboard the lighthouse tender Hyacinth. And meet author Pamela Cameron, who wrote his story, Sport: Ship Dog of the Great Lakes, during a free program June 23, 10:30-11:30 am, at the Ephraim Village Hall, 9996 Hwy 42. The […]

  • Book Recommendation: ‘Facing the Mountain’

    Recommended by MORGAN MANN, Head of Circulation, Door County Library Facing the Mountain, written by the author of The Boys in the Boat, is read by actor Louis Ozawa, who is best known for his role in the films Predators (2010) and The Bourne Legacy (2012). This audiobook – part history and part memoir – is […]

  • Youth Field Day Focuses on Sustainable Agriculture

    The Peninsular Agricultural Research Station is hosting its first Youth Field Day on June 11. Dawn VandeVoort, the 4-H youth development educator in Door County for the UW-Madison Division of Extension, said the goal is to help young people understand the importance of this resource in the community. “Youth are the future of our planet, […]

  • Exploring the Library: Collaboration Is Key at the Library

    by TINA KAKUSKE, Former Director, Door County Library “It takes a village” is an often-quoted phrase. We understand it to mean that it takes many people working together to make things happen in a community. The Door County Library is fortunate to have a “village” of partners, collaborators and volunteers – in addition to government […]

  • Fine Art and Antiques on the Farm

    The Plum Bottom Farm will host an art and antique show Sept. 17, 9 am – 5 pm, and Sept. 18, 10 am – 4 pm. It will feature live acoustic music, food, area artists selling their work, and historical farm and barn spaces displaying the fine-art and antiques selections of Caroline Moes from Carolina’s Once […]

  • BITS & BITES: Picnic Picks

    Nothing says “summertime” like a picnic in the park, so grab your blanket, a good book or favorite lawn game, and hit up these establishments to create the perfect Door County picnic.  Zeke’s Village Market 2361 Mill Road in Sister Bay If you’re headed to the Sister Bay Beach for the day, swing by Zeke’s […]

  • Make a Suncatcher at DC North’s Country Fair

    There will be lots of fun activities to try during Door County North’s new Country Fair, including a make-it-and-take-it mini suncatcher workshop June 25-26, beginning at 11 am. Strings of Stone/Designs by Diane will host two workshops each day during the fair to teach the easy technique of putting crystal and glass beads together to […]

  • Door Prize for Portraiture Returns to Chez Cheryl

    The 13th annual Door Prize for Portraiture exhibit will be open June 30 – July 2, 12-4 pm, at Chez Cheryl Artspace. This invitational exhibition highlights 28 regional artists who celebrate the portrait form through varied styles and rich interpretations presented in a variety of media.  The guest juror this year is artist and art […]

  • Work of Visiting Artist Cynthia Kukla at Artzy Studio

    Artzy Studio is featuring the work of Cynthia Kukla, who is visiting the peninsula as part of the Write On Wisconsin project. Besides writing, she travels the world and creates plein air watercolors as she goes.  Kukla taught art in Wisconsin for many years and was a 2006 Watercolor Honor Society inductee. She has exhibited […]

  • Travel Door County’s Food Trucks

    Food trucks are a fun way to get a quick lunch, try a new dish or skip packing the cooler when visiting the beach. Brimming with variety, specialties and signature items, the peninsula’s food truck scene will take more than a day to explore – and more than one stomach. So grab your friends, build […]

  • June 18 Grand Opening at Plum Bottom’s Fish Creek Location

    Plum Bottom Gallery is hosting a grand-opening celebration at its new Fish Creek location June 18, 4-7 pm, with featured artists in attendance.  The show will feature the work of Angela Olson Luberger, Gail McCoy, Joy Kruse/Wild Prairie Silver and Stephen Wysocki; Jacob Beranek will be playing music on the lawn; and wine from von […]

  • ‘People of Impact’ Exhibit at DCCF

    The Door County Community Foundation (DCCF) is opening its People of Impact exhibit with a reception on Friday, June 10, 4:30-6 pm. The show features photographs taken by local photographers of community members who have made significant local impacts. Those honored in the photos include Charlene Berg, Gary Chaudoir, Katie Dahl, Michael Doerr, George Draeb, […]

  • Open Door Pride logo

    M3 Hosts Open Door Pride Project

    M3 will host Open Door Pride’s What’s My Pride? Project throughout June. The pop-up exhibition includes 18 images from the project’s archives, taken during the past three years. Visitors are encouraged to add to the What’s My Pride? archive by creating their own photo at the selfie station at M3, 142 S. 3rd Ave. in […]

  • Carving a Niche in the Door County Pottery Scene

    A 125-year-old farmstead 1.3 miles east of Egg Harbor on County E is home to Off the Wheel Pottery, where Reneé Schwaller makes and displays her work – as well as the work of 25 other artists – in the barn and granary on the property.  “I have a few painters and glass artists, but mostly […]

  • 2022 Sister Bay Roofing of the Goats Parade and Festival

    The goats are back in town. Or, at least, they will be this weekend.  If you’ve ever traveled through Sister Bay during the summer, you’re familiar with the bottleneck that tends to happen in front of Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant and Butik as drivers and pedestrians alike crane their necks to catch a glimpse of […]

  • Trapeze Yoga? It Might Be Right for You

    As I sat on the mat in the dimly lit studio, I tried to remember the last time I had practiced any form of yoga. After just a few poses, my sore muscles and rusty joints told me it had been awhile. And yet there I was – an out-of-practice, on-again/off-again yoga novice – attempting my […]

  • Wild Things: You Don’t Need a Boat to Cash In on Area Fishing Opportunities

    by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected] Anglers hoping to score some fillets for a meal of fresh fish have a wide variety of options up and down the Kewaunee/Door County peninsula.  In addition to miles of Lake Michigan and Green Bay shoreline, there are at least a dozen inland lakes, rivers and creeks that offer opportunities to […]

  • Learn about Egg Harbor Marina History

    The Egg Harbor Historical Society will host – and Captain Steve Smith (above) will present – “The History of Our Egg Harbor Marina” on June 14, 7 pm, at the Kress Pavilion, 7845 Church St. in Egg Harbor. Egg Harbor’s long sailing history involves Captain Kirkland and Ferdinand Jorns, who were both freighting the Green Bay […]

  • Explore Eagle Harbor’s Maritime History

    The Ephraim Historical Foundation’s 2022 exhibit, Wrecked: Ephraim’s Maritime Triumphs and Tragedies, will open June 17 to share maritime artifacts, stories of wrecked schooners off the Eagle Harbor shore, and the relationship between people and the lake. Nestled against a harbor shoreline on one of the world’s largest bodies of freshwater, the Village of Ephraim […]

  • Editor’s Note: The Eyes of the Beholders

    There’s a great scene in an otherwise bad movie – so bad I can’t even remember the name of it – uttered by a woman who needs to escape a situation because she feels like she’s turning into another person’s idea of her. She’s starting to see herself the way that other person sees her […]

  • Obituary: Evelyn (Valnes) Mueller

    September 25, 1948 ~ June 7, 2022 Evelyn M. Mueller, 94, of Sturgeon Bay, died on June 7, 2022, at Sturgeon Bay Health Services.  She was born Aug. 22, 1927, in West Jacksonport to Carl and Matilda (Fischer) Luethge.  On Sept. 25, 1948, she married Virgil A. Mueller in Egg Harbor.  Together they raised four […]

  • Obituary: Dale Anders

    September 25, 1942~May 11, 2022 Dale F. Anders, 79, of Forestville, WI, passed away on May 11, 2022, after battling a rare, aggressive form of prostate cancer. Dale passed away, per his wishes, in the house he helped build, on the land he loved, surrounded by his family. Dale, the youngest of four, was born […]

  • Vikings Run Ends at Sectionals

    The Gibraltar/Washington Island baseball team’s season ended Tuesday in the WIAA Division 4 Sectional at Rosholt. The Vikings lost to Iola-Scandinavia in their sectional semifinal game, 6-1. Gibraltar/Washington Island took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Sam Lindenberg singled and ended up scoring on a wild pitch with the bases […]

  • Obituary: Charles Lloyd Peterson

    April 5, 1927 ~ June 2, 2022 Renowned artist, Charles (“Chick”) Lloyd Peterson, born April 5, 1927, died peacefully on Thursday, June 2, 2022 surrounded by his family at home.     Chick was born in Elgin, Illinois to the late Clarence (“Pete”) and Karin (Wiberg) Peterson, the youngest son with two older brothers, Bob and Dick.  Chick […]