Navigation

Peninsula Pulse June 16-23, 2023

Published

In this issue

  • Door County Legion Baseball Absent in 2023

    For the first time since the mid-1960s, there will be no Legion baseball team this summer for players from Door County. The Ahnapee Trailblazers – the only senior Legion baseball team last season for players from the county’s high schools, as well as Algoma, where the home games were held at Perry Field – did […]

  • Walking the Hardy with Craig Blietz

    The 61st Annual Wall-to-Wall Juried Exhibit at the Hardy Gallery in Ephraim features the work of 165 artists, including 107 from Door County – probably the largest selection of local artists in one place. To take it in, I asked Craig Blietz, a highly regarded painter and the judge for the show, whether he would […]

  • DCL BASEBALL: Power Surge

    The Door County League switched to wood bats in the 2013 season, and since that time, the league leader at the end of the season would have just a handful of home runs. Sometimes, you can go a couple of weeks before you see one in a game.  On Sunday, however, an all-out power surge […]

  • Major Fundraising Outings Maintain Momentum, Fill Up Fast

    The strange days of golf during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic have faded away – the single-rider rules for golf carts, the mandatory sanitizing and the weird foot-lift lever that Peninsula State Park Golf Course had at the base of flags for removing the ball from the cup. But did you know that despite those precautions […]

  • Your Guide to Summer Music in Door County 2023

    The sun is out, mosquitoes are biting and the ever-present smell of grills is wafting through the air. Summer is officially here. There is so much to see and explore throughout the county, including hikes, tours and festivals. You can also try all the flavors that Door County eateries have to offer.  One special highlight […]

  • Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Election Results

    The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has certified the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin’s 2023 board of directors election results. There were 14 certified candidates running for nine positions. Of the 2,704 dairy producers living in affected districts, 12.3% returned ballots. Tasha Schleis of Kewaunee was elected for District 10, which includes Brown, […]

  • Algoma Welcomes Passenger Cruise Ship

    On June 16, the City of Algoma will be considered an International Port of Entry when it welcomes the passenger cruise ship Viking Polaris to its shores. Algoma is the only city in the state to host the ship during its 15-day Great Lakes Collection cruise, which tours all five Great Lakes. Leaders from the […]

  • Stephens Presenting on DCMC’s New Clinic

    Brian Stephens, CEO of Door County Medical Center (DCMC), will give a presentation June 20, 7 pm, as part of the Sister Bay Historical Society’s Sister Bay Stories series about local businesses. He will discuss the history of DCMC, how health care needs are changing in Door County, and how the new Sister Bay clinic […]

  • Crossroads Seeks New Executive Director

    Hauser to lead development efforts Crossroads at Big Creek’s executive director, Laurel Hauser, will soon transition into the role of development director as the nonprofit continues to fulfill its strategic goals. Crossroads’ board of directors will be working to hire a new executive director during the coming months.  “I love Crossroads’ mission and the people […]

  • Sister Bay Community Conversation June 18

    Sister Bay Village president Nate Bell will host an informal community conversation about transportation, housing and parking on Sunday, June 18, 12 pm, near the Sister Bay Beach pier.  Bell recently attended the Strong Towns annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina, and hopes to generate better conversations about how the village can address community concerns […]

  • Crossroads Trail Run June 17

    Crossroads at Big Creek welcomes participants of all ages to the 14th Crossroads Trail Run on June 17. Walkers can choose a 2K or 5K distance, and runners can take on a 2K, 5K or 10K distance.  Check-in, registration, packet pickup and shirt pickup take place June 16, 5-7 pm; and June 17, starting at […]

  • 2023 Ephraim Fyr Bal Schedule

    Although the temperature has warmed and visitors have returned to Door County, you could say summer doesn’t officially begin on the peninsula until Ephraim lights the night with its Fyr Bal festival, this year taking place June 16-17.  The highlight of the festival is the crowning of the Fyr Bal chieftain – an Ephraim resident […]

  • Server of the Week: Angie McMahon

    Angie McMahon was looking for something to do, And Shiny Moon Cafe became her dream come true! The idea had been brewing in her mind for a while – Creating a place of community and style. Gardening and Zumba fill her free time, And hiking at Newport she thinks is sublime! If you’re looking for […]

  • Letter to the Editor: An Attack on the American Justice System

    To opine that the “deep state” DOJ and FBI have been “weaponized,” for the purpose of investigating and bringing scoundrels to justice, is at once ludicrous and dangerous. It also conveniently ignores the past weaponization of said agencies, as well as both houses of the federal government – a past that is in the public […]

  • Pride-themed WRiTERS’ NiGHT

    Cathy Grier of Open Door Pride and Al DeGenova of Write On, Door County are co-hosting a Pride-themed WRiTERS’ NiGHT on June 22, 7-9 pm, at the Tambourine Lounge, 59 N. 2nd Ave. in Sturgeon Bay.  This event is open to the LGBTQIA+ community and allies, musicians and writers of all styles, as well as […]

  • Hal Prize Photography Judge at Peninsula School of Art

    Hal Prize photography judge Allen Morris is leading a Define Your Art workshop at Peninsula School of Art June 17-18, 9 am – 4 pm. He’ll teach students to examine their work – and their motivations for making it – to craft an answer and a set of professional documents that accurately define the work they […]

  • Wild Things: A Wildlife Ride in the Rain

    And eagle and snapping turtle were among the surprises by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected], Peninsula Pulse contributor One of my favorite ways to unwind before writing this column is to take a ride on the wild side through rural Kewaunee County and Southern Door. Such was the case earlier this week, when it dawned on me […]

  • Editor’s Note: Dads Are Cool, Too

    Readers may recall our herculean effort to honor moms for Mother’s Day. I call it “herculean” because we put out a call for people to describe their moms in six words, believing maybe a few people would bite. I was wrong about the number of submitters, and we all paid for my huge miscalculation.  Trying […]

  • Sturgeon Bay News Notes: Therma-Tron-X Addition, Fence-Fixing Directive

    Therma-Tron-X Addition Approved Sturgeon Bay’s Industrial Park Development Review Team agreed last week to approve a 3,327-square-foot building addition and a 122-square-foot vestibule for Therma-Tron-X at 1155 S. Neenah Ave. City planner/zoning administrator Stephanie Servia said the addition being constructed on the east side of the building will fill a gap in the existing structure […]

  • Gibraltar Bluff Road Speed Limit Lowered Again

    In February, the Town of Gibraltar lowered the speed limit on Gibraltar Bluff Road from 35 to 30 mph. Then during a June 7 board meeting, the town decided to reduce the speed limit a second time, from 30 to 25 mph, with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s approval. This decision came after multiple residents […]

  • Free Well Testing in Kewaunee County

    Kewaunee County residents have free well testing available through a program that began June 1, is being conducted by the Kewaunee County Land and Water Department and is being funded by Peninsula Pride Farms and a Coastal Management Grant. The test date is July 10. The deadline to be included is when all 300 tests […]

  • New Fire Truck Purchase Approved in Nasewaupee

    In preparation for the Town of Nasewaupee forming its own fire department after splitting this coming fall from the Southern Door Fire Department (SDFD), the Nasewaupee Town Board last week approved the purchase of a pumper truck priced at $30,000 that is now housed in SDFD’s station in Nasewaupee. Nasewaupee town chair Steve Sullivan said […]

  • Town of Gibraltar Appoints New Board Member

    During a special meeting June 7, the Gibraltar Town Board voted via secret ballot to appoint John Selenica to fill its vacant supervisor position. With three votes from town board members, Selenica was the top vote-getter of the four candidates. The other three were Barb McKesson, Karl Stubenvoll and Pauline Vennell. Selenica ran for one […]

  • Are Dairy Cows Happy in Modern-Day Dairy Barns?

    There may be a prevailing belief among nonfarming consumers that dairy cows with grass-stained knees, roaming around in pastures, are happier than their barn-contained cousins.  But are these gentle ruminants unhappy when raised conventionally in barns – the majority of dairy operations, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture – as opposed to their cousins […]

  • The Next Generation: Portrait of a Door County Dairy Farm

    June is National Dairy Month Jacob Brey gestured toward a field off the west side of his freestall dairy barn in the Town of Nasewaupee. “This is what a modern-day cornfield looks like to us,” said the dairy farmer. “Completely different.” “Completely different” looked nothing like the green cornfields that carpet rural Wisconsin, as sure […]

  • Around the Door: Dairyland Numbers

    June is National Dairy Month 5,943 The number of licensed dairy herds in Wisconsin 43 The number of licensed dairy herds in Door County  4 The number of licensed dairy herds in Northern Door (i.e., without a Sturgeon Bay or Southern Door address) 1,268,000 The number of dairy cows in Wisconsin 210 The average number of cows per dairy farm […]

  • 14 Gibraltar Grads Share $30,000 in Scholarships

    Gibraltar High School graduates have received a total of $30,000 in technical school and college scholarships from the Ephraim Men’s Club. The 14 scholarship recipients are Zoe Armbruster, Carl Burgess, Krista Church, Jack Duffy, Will Friedenfels, Thelonious Goode, Noah Greene, Mateo Jauregui, Mackenzie Koehler, Kiki Kubala, Elizabeth Lecy, Aiden Neal, Hayden Reetz and Jacob Schar. […]

  • Midsummer’s Music Presents “Women to be Heard”

    Often relegated to the sidelines while their male contemporaries basked in the limelight, women classical composers are now being recognized for their brilliance and significant contributions. Performances of Midsummer’s Music’s Women to Be Heard concert will honor several such women June 22, 7 pm, at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor; June 23, 7 pm, […]

  • Koehler Receives $3,000 Memorial Scholarship

    Sister Bay P.E.O. Chapter EJ has awarded its $3,000 Ellie Helm Memorial Scholarship to graduating senior Makenize Koehler of Gibraltar High School. The daughter of David and Kendall Koehler will attend UW-Madison in the fall to major in biology. Koehler has been active in co-curricular activities at Gibraltar including Student Council, Ecology Club, the math […]

  • Door County Film Nominated for Best in the Midwest

    An area independent film that was more than 10 years in the making has been nominated for Best Midwest-Made Feature by the 2023 MLC Awards, which take place June 24 at Aloft Green Bay. Confessions of a Sailor was filmed in Door County, and despite lengthy postproduction delays, film festivals are beginning to take notice. […]

  • Rogue Offers Youth Theater Programs

    Rogue Theater is hosting its Youth Theater Camp June 20 – July 13, when performing artists will work with young people to explore creativity and build dramatic art skills.  The class, for ages 9-15, meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 am – 2 pm, at Rogue Theater, 917 N. 14th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, and the students will […]

  • “Daddy Long Legs” Opens at Third Avenue PlayWorks

    Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) is opening the musical Daddy Long Legs on June 23, but a special pay-what-you-will preview is set for June 21, with proceeds benefiting TAP’s high school scholarship program. A second preview will be held June 22.  Purchase tickets at thirdavenueplayworks.org.

  • Allyson Fleck. Midsummer's Music.

    Midsummer’s Music Presents “Women to be Heard”

    Often relegated to the sidelines while their male contemporaries basked in the limelight, women classical composers are now being recognized for their brilliance and significant contributions. Performances of Midsummer’s Music’s Women to Be Heard concert will honor several such women June 22, 7 pm, at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor; June 23, 7 pm, […]

  • Northern Sky Opens Season with “The Fish Whisperer”

    Fishing poles are among Northern Sky Theater’s most often-used props, according to artistic director Jeff Herbst. That’s because the theater company has presented a long list of fish-themed shows since 1992, including Fishing on the Moon, Muskie Love, The Fisherman’s Daughter and Guys on Ice. This year, The Fish Whisperer joined the lineup when it […]

  • Bits & Bites: Start Summer with a Sharper Edge

    The Savory Spoon Cooking School will host Kelly Lewis, aka the Traveling Sharpener, on June 17, 9 am – 1 pm. Take your favorite kitchen knives to get them sharpened by a professional because even the best knives get dull over time with regular use, and a sharp knife is a safe knife.  Lewis can […]

  • Bird Park Focus of First BHHS Program

    The Baileys Harbor Historical Society (BHHS) will resume its summer program series June 21, 7-8:30 pm, at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall, 2392 Cty F. Light refreshments will be served. This free, public event will celebrate the art of renowned woodcarver Albert Zahn and his home in Baileys Harbor, known as Bird Park. The BHHS […]

  • Obituary: Dorothy (Dottie) Phyllis Pratt Haviland

    Dorothy (Dottie) Phyllis Pratt Haviland, 96, died in Aumsville, Oregon, on November 15, 2022, after a long and meaningful life.  Dottie was born in Flint, Michigan, on February 12, 1926. She married her husband, Dick, in 1948, and together they raised three children. After living in Michigan, New York, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, they moved […]

  • Uncovering Stones to Discover Your Past

    Join the Gibraltar Historical Association to learn about best practices for headstone care and find what lies beneath the moss, lichens and debris on June 22, 9 am, at the Juddville Cemetery, 8683 Gibraltar Bluff Road in Fish Creek. Established in 1878, and with burials dating as early as 1865, the Juddville Cemetery houses 60 […]

  • History Days at the Belgian Heritage Center

    The Belgian Heritage Center will host a special presentation by Barb (Englebert) Chisholm on June 22, 1 pm, about the history of Belgian immigration to northeastern Wisconsin, the Belgian settlements, the true story behind the unusual arrangement of the headstones at the St. Mary of the Snows cemetery, the impact of the Great Fire of […]

  • Dinner Program Highlights Horseshoe Bay Farms

    Horseshoe Bay Farms in Egg Harbor will take center stage during the Door County Historical Society’s (DCHS) June 26 dinner program at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor, with food catered by Mojo Rosa’s. Following the dinner, Scott Stern – a Horseshoe Bay Farms board member, volunteer coordinator and lead tour guide – will share an […]

  • Celebrate Peninsula’s Heritage June 19-25

    For the second consecutive year, cultural and historical institutions throughout Door County are coming together to present Door County History Days: a weeklong celebration of the peninsula’s history and heritage. From June 19 to 25, 20-plus nonprofit organizations will host more than 30 special programs around the area. History Days kicks off with an event […]

  • Obituary: Robert “Bob” Edward Eldridge

    February 9, 1945 ~ January 6, 2023 Robert “Bob” Edward Eldridge, 77, formerly of Washington Island, died January 6, 2023. He was born on February 9, 1945 in Evanston, Illinois, son of the late William and Rhoda (Gunnlaugsson) Eldridge. He joined two older brothers, Jim and Bill. Shortly after the end of World War II, the family […]

  • ODBS Opens for the 2023 Season

    Open Door Bird Sanctuary (ODBS) officially kicks off the summer season with its first public day on June 17, 11 am – 4 pm. ODBS will be open every Saturday at that time through Sept. 2, as well as July 2 and Sept. 3. ODBS now has 19 raptor residents, including its newest bird, Oslo the […]

  • Harry Manx Opens Sunset Concert Series

    The Peg Egan PAC sunset concert series kicks off with “Mysticssippi” bluesman Harry Manx on June 18, 7 pm. He has been called an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. Manx forged his distinctive style […]

  • Obituary: Kenneth “Moose” Wautier

    July 14, 1960 ~ June 9, 2023 Kenneth James “Moose” Wautier 62, of Brussels, died at his home surrounded by family on June 9, 2023.  He was born July 14, 1960, in Algoma to Harold and Mildred (Parins) Wautier.  On July 31, 1982, he married Linda J. Londo in Brussels.  After working for Emerson Motors […]

  • Obituary: Duane C. Olson

    June 26, 1937 ~ June 7, 2023 Duane Clarence Olson, 85, of Brussels died at Aurora Bay Care in Green Bay on June 7, 2023, surrounded by his family.   He was born June 26, 1937, to Clarence and Mae (Karnitz) Olson in Gladstone, Michigan.  On May 1, 1957, he married his childhood sweetheart, Karen Ann […]

  • Obituary: Jane Marie (Fish) Kasten

    January 26, 1958 ~ June 3, 2023 Jane Marie Kasten, 65, of the Town of Jacksonport, died late Saturday night, June 3, 2023 at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay. She was born January 26, 1958 in Sturgeon Bay, the daughter of Floyd Joseph Fish and Ethel Elizabeth (Waters) Fish. Jane grew up attending St. […]