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Peninsula Pulse March 1-8, 2024

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In this issue

  • Letter to the Editor: Shameful Congressional Dysfunction

    As we continue to watch the dysfunction of our so-called leaders in Congress it is nothing short of shameful. We have watched a handful of Republicans and the Speaker of the House look and act like hypocrites.  First, they will not do anything unless we do something about the border crisis. OK – done. A […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Americans Do Not Let Their Allies Down

    Just wondering! Has our Congress, in  particular, the House of Representative, lost its moral compass? Americans do not let their allies and friends down, especially in a situation where they are fighting for their survival from an unprovoked attack on their country. Ukraine to be exact; by the aggressor, Russia.   Russia has never been […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Election Sign Theft Exemplifies National Intolerance

    When I found my Jennifer Moeller for Circuit Court Judge sign pulled out of the ground, I felt personally violated. Someone had purposely invaded my space, vandalized my property and taken away my right to express an opinion. It made me feel unsafe and a bit fearful that s/he would come up the driveway and […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Overseas Americans Can Cast Their Votes from Abroad

    Overseas Americans – estimated at 6.5 million eligible voters – won the right to cast their ballots from abroad in 1975, when the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) was signed into law. UOCAVA voters include US military and civilian citizens aged 18 or older by election day. In many states, this also […]

  • New Child Care Center Closes on Building Purchase in Sturgeon Bay

    Sturgeon Bay’s newest child care center has a home.  On March 1, Children First Development Center closed on the purchase of the building that was previously home to the DOCO Child Development Center, which moved into its new home in January. Before that the building operated as the Barker Center at 1743 Egg Harbor Road […]

  • PULSE OF PHILANTHROPY: Collaborating to Keep Homes Affordable

    In the charitable world, we love to talk about the value of collaboration, but the reality is that great collaborative partnerships are uncommon.  An effective collaboration brings together organizations that have different, but complementary capabilities so that working collaboratively makes both more impactful. A truly innovative and effective collaboration is quite rare, yet Door County […]

  • Obituary: John Michael Auer

    d. March 2, 2024 John Michael Auer, affectionately known as “Poppie” to his family, faced his battle with pancreatic cancer with remarkable courage. He peacefully passed away at his home in Sister Bay on March 2, 2024, at the age of 81, leaving behind a legacy of love and resilience. Born and raised in Milwaukee, […]

  • Obituary: Kay Reich

    Sept. 6, 1939 – Feb. 24, 2024 Kay Maurcine Reiche, 84, of the Town of Nasewaupee, died on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay with her family at her side after a sudden and unexpected ruptured aneurysm. It’s not a stretch to say, “she would hate all of this.” All […]

  • Obituary: Carol Marie Gresko-Lyons (Bacigalupo)

    Sept. 12, 1942 – Jan. 31, 2024 National and internationally renowned fabric artist Carol Marie Gresko-Lyons (Bacigalupo), age 81 of Sturgeon Bay, formerly of Ephraim, died on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. She was born on Sept. 12, 1942, to the late Joseph and Irene (Gresko-Oliver) Gresko in Chicago, IL. Carol graduated from Resurrection High School […]

  • Obituary: Cheryl J. Johnson

    Sept. 15, 1963 – Feb. 25, 2024 Cheryl Jeanne Johnson, 60, of Forestville, died on Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, surrounded by loved ones. Cheryl was born Sept. 15, 1963, in Green Bay, the daughter of the late Herbert and JoAnn (Stelter) Johnson. She was a 1981 graduate […]

  • Obituary: David Brian Geitner, Jr.

    Oct. 30, 1986 – Feb. 21, 2024 David “Dave” Brian Geitner, Jr., 37, of Stoughton, formerly of Door County, passed away at home on Feb. 21, 2024. A memorial service will be held at 4 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at Huehns Funeral Home, 1414 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, with Dcn. Mark Bortle officiating. […]

  • Obituary: Antonio Paredes Jr.

    Oct. 7, 1943 – Feb. 28, 2024 Antonion Paredes Jr., 80, of Sturgeon Bay, passed away at home on Feb. 28, 2024. He was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico on Oct. 7, 1943, to Antonio and Concepsion (Villanueva) Paredes Sr. On April 22, 1961, he married Rosa Reyes. Surviving family include his wife, six children, […]

  • Shooting the Nighttime Skies

    The astrophotography of John Lyon As he approached retirement from his post as a chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, John Lyon decided he needed to plan how to use his free time. That led to him combining his long-standing interests in photography and astronomy to come up with astrophotography.  Technically, astrophotographers take […]

  • Book Recommendation: “The Heiress” by Rachel Hawkins

    Recommended by MORGAN KIEDROWSKI, bookseller at Novel Bay Books Every family has secrets – some more than others.  When Camden McTavish walked away from his childhood home in Rachel Hawkins’ latest book, The Heiress, he knew he couldn’t hide from his family history forever.  As a young child, Camden McTavish was adopted by the stunning […]

  • Bestsellers for the week ended February 11

    TRADE PAPERBACK FICTION 1. Bride, by Ali Hazelwood 2. Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas 3. A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas 4. Babel, by R. F. Kuang, Harper 5. The Thursday Murder Club, by Richard Osman TRADE PAPERBACK NONFICTION 1. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings […]

  • Björklunden Releases Seminar Slate

    Registration is now open for more than 20 summer 2024 seminars held at Björklunden, Lawrence University’s northern campus and retreat center on 441 acres just south of Baileys Harbor. Open to the public and led by academic, artistic and cultural leaders, seminar participants engage in subjects including history, literature, arts, sciences, contemporary society and more. […]

  • Parent Corner: Bringing Light to Dark Winter Days

    by KAREN COREKIN-DeLaMER, Education and Community Relations Coordinator, Northern Door Children’s Center Though the calendar says we aren’t far from the first day of spring, the reality in northeast Wisconsin is that warmer weather is still months away. The unrelenting gray skies and chilly temperatures can dishearten even the most cheerful of children (and adults.) […]

  • Newberry and Verch At The White Gull Inn

    Newberry and Verch will be the next performers onstage during the White Gull Inn’s winter concert series. The folk duo will perform March 6 at 8 pm.  Growing up, Joe Newberry and April Verch absorbed traditions of home and hearth, Newberry in Missouri’s Ozarks and Verch in Canada’s Ottawa Valley. During their live show, original […]

  • In Praise Of A Supper Club Classic – Broasted Chicken

    Chicken. You can bake it, grill it, pan fry it or air fry it. The list goes on. But there’s something about broasted chicken that gets people’s wings flapping. Gilmo’s Bar and Bistro at Wave Pointe Marina and Resort is currently running a Thursday night broasted chicken special. A popular Wisconsin supper club menu item, […]

  • Jamaican Jerk Coming To Algoma

    Island vibes will be happening on March 7 at Homestead Kitchen & Tap in Algoma. On that date, the restaurant will serve a special Jamaican menu from 3:30-9 pm. Dishes will include jerk chicken with rice and beans, coconut steamed snapper with fried dumpling and steamed veggies, and a jerk brisket sandwich with seasoned fries. […]

  • Coffee Roaster Gets A Toaster

    A new toast sensation is popping up in Sister Bay. Skip Stone Coffee Roasters is now offering both avocado toast and peanut butter and banana toast, served at breakfast and lunch.  Skip Stone Coffee Roasters is located at 10678 Bay Shore Dr. in Sister Bay. 

  • Server of the Week: Colin Pustaver-Olson, The Thirsty Cow Taphouse

    He grew up in a town, where polar plungers will cavort. Spent time down in Brazil, then came back to Jacksonport. At The Thirsty Cow Taphouse, in wee Peninsula Center, Colin’s managing the show, greeting every guest that enters. Funny quotes from favorite films, and a master of bad puns, He entertains his crew, making […]

  • Local Struggles Reflected in “Vestiges of the Tide”

    by CYNTHIA GERMAIN, founder and president of aging organization Do Good Door County Vestiges of the Tide, the first-floor exhibit on display at Sturgeon Bay’s Miller Art Museum, focuses on a subject that’s relevant to our community: aging. Two artists, Mary Porterfield and Ellen Holtzblatt, join forces in the powerful display, offering images of the […]

  • Peninsula Players Reads “4,000 Days” March 4

    Tickets for 2024 season on sale now Peninsula Players Theatre will perform 4,000 Days by Peter Quilter on March 4, 7 pm. Held at Björklunden, the event is the second part of the theater’s three-part winter play-reading series, “The Play’s The Thing.”  The story follows Michael, a man who has been in a coma for […]

  • Northern Sky Launches New Fan Campaign

    Tickets available March 4 Northern Sky Theater will launch its New Fan Campaign when tickets go on sale starting March 4. The New Fan Campaign is a marketing initiative to incentivize long-time fans and community “influencers” – business partners, information centers, volunteers, camp hosts or anyone else – to recruit new first-time fans to the […]

  • Listen Up!

    Weekend of March 1, 2024 Cali Jo March 2, 3-5 pm, The Hitching Post, 4849 Glidden Drive in Sturgeon Bay This acoustic storyteller jams out to her own tales. Charms March 2, 1-4 pm, Door 44 Winery, 5464 County Hwy P in Sevastopol This trio uses vocals, guitar and piano to create rock, Americana and […]

  • Originals Only at WRiTERS’ NiGHT

    Getting on a mic and performing in front of an audience takes guts. It’s even harder when the work you’re performing is your own, and maybe you’re releasing it into the world for the first time. Musician pat mAcdonald gets it. That’s why he’s careful to make the atmosphere of WRiTERS’ NiGHT – an originals-only […]

  • Mike At The Movies: One from the Cinema, One from the Tube

    by MIKE ORLOCK [email protected]  Poor Things (rated R for lots of sex) is one of the more bizarre movies you’re likely to see this year, or any other year.  If you’re a fan of the artsy and avant-garde, you’ve probably already seen this fantasy horror-comedy starring Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo. It follows […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Clam Chowder

    Meet Clam Chowder, a 10-year-old dog available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. This sweet senior weighs 10 pounds and has lots of love to share in a new home. He’s got spunk in his step and enjoys going for car rides, playing with a good toy and all types […]

  • Egg Harbor Seeks Funds for More Harbor Improvement

    Egg Harbor’s marina broke even during 2023, despite a grand total of $91,000 in projects, which included emergency repairs and additional preventive measures and upgrades after chains broke and docks drifted in an August wind event. That was the report during the village harbor committee meeting this month. About $20,000 in budgeted work was completed […]

  • DIYs At The Library Through March

    This March, patrons can make crafts and take home activity kits from their local library. The Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek, Forestville, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove and Sturgeon Bay libraries will all offer a screen-free craft bag, geared towards ages 4K to second grade. Each includes a shamrock maze, a leprechaun animal and a leprechaun bookmark […]

  • Emily Dickinson Poetry Series Features Scott Lowery

    Milwaukee writer and educator Scott Lowery will make his first appearance at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County’s (UUFDC) Emily Dickinson Poetry Series on March 6. Lowery will read from his new collection of poems, Mutual Life, which examines everyday life during tumultuous times – specifically, the past 8 years. These poems look for […]

  • Community Voices: MS Awareness Week March 10-16

    By PATRICIA HELLER, Sturgeon Bay Diagnosed in 2005 People who know I have MS say, “You look so good.” Meaning, your MS must not be so bad. The response to this compliment is difficult. As is MS. Often, I return compliments. To some who are asking how I am feeling, I say, “Thank you. You […]

  • Get Your Name On Walk Of Fame

    Sales of engraved bricks for the Walk of Fame on the grounds of Northern Door Children’s Center (NDCC) will help support reconfiguration of the spaces inside the childcare and 4-year-old kindergarten complex in Sister Bay. This final part of the building project increases the licensed capacity from 130 children to 160. NDCC has reached 75% […]

  • Northern Door Activism Works To Make Difference

    A Community Clothing Swap – Swap, Don’t Shop – 10 am – 3 pm Saturday, March 2 at Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor will kick off a series of events for Northern Door Activism.  The drop-off takes place during the five-hour period only. Up to 10 articles of clothing per category, per person, may be […]

  • Reinke Joins Climate Change Coalition

    The Climate Change Coalition of Door County has named Jess Reinke of Sturgeon Bay as its communications manager. Working with Executive Director Jeff Lutsey and the coalition’s Advisory Board, she is tasked with raising awareness, engaging the community, and advocating for climate action. Reinke worked for six years as event director and property manager for […]

  • Exhibitors, Participants Wanted For Earth Day Fest

    The Every Day Is Earth Day Festival could use more participants to educate, exhibit and help celebrate the planet and environmental stewardship. The Climate Change Coalition is calling on participants to share expertise, ideas and experiences to help make the April 18-22 festival a memorable and impactful event. To learn how an organization or business […]

  • Gathering Ground Offers Gardening And Ag Workshops

    Gathering Ground, a 38-acre teaching and working farm with a vineyard, orchard and community garden and compost program located on Washington Island, announced its slate of spring and summer classes. Each class will include instruction and supplies to take home and implement the learning in your own garden. They include a seed-starting workshop at 10:30 […]

  • Crossroads Celebrates Aldo Leopold

    The Crossroads Book Club has been reading and discussing A Sand County Almanac by naturalist and ecologist Aldo Leopold for the past month – and still has some copies available – and then invites the public to celebrate Aldo Leopold Day 1-4 pm Saturday, March 2. Crossroads staff and volunteers have planned an afternoon of […]

  • Crossroads Invites Potential Volunteers To Mixer

    Interested in finding out more about volunteer opportunities at the nature center on the east side of Sturgeon Bay? Potential volunteers and seasoned volunteers are welcome at the Crossroads Volunteer Mixer at 5 pm Friday, March 1 at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek. 2041 Michigan St.

  • Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Hans Christian This Weekend at DCA

    Former Wisconsin Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton will bring her spoken-word production, “Makin’ Cake,” to Door Community Auditorium (DCA) March 1. The 7 pm show will slice into American history and explore race, culture and class.  Tickets can be purchased in person, online at dcauditorium.org or over the phone at 920.868.2728. The following day, March […]

  • Dance Classes In Sister Bay

    Professional dancer Willa Wilde will offer dance classes for kids and adults from March 7 to April 11. Kids’ classes run 4:45-5:15 pm, while adult dance party fitness classes run 5:30-6:30 pm. Visit northerndoor.recdesk.com to register.  Both classes are held at Uptown Wellness, 10579 Country Walk Lane, Unit 22, in Sister Bay. 

  • Winter Scenes By Fish Creek Octogenarian

    Eighty-year-old Vietnam veteran and Fish Creek resident Rick Brawner has spent his winter painting. He’s been doing so as a hobby since he was a teenager. Most of his oil paintings are done plein-air and based on Door County’s landscapes.

  • Art Students, Instructors Exhibit At The Clearing

    Students and instructors involved in The Clearing Folk School’s winter program will exhibit their work March 2-3, 10 am – 4 pm both days.  The event will feature work from the 70+ classes The Clearing offered in January and February, including art, fine crafts, nature studies and other projects.  Guests can browse The Clearing’s bookstore […]

  • “Seven Last Words Of Christ” At Shepherd Of The Bay

    Midsummer’s Music will present Franz Joseph Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ, featuring the Pro Arte Quartet alongside clergy and community leaders at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church. Seven Last Words of Christ was originally an orchestral work that Haydn adapted for string quartet in 1787. It focuses on the biblical account of Jesus’ […]

  • Copper Box At Southern Door Auditorium

    Award-winning Americana ensemble Copper Box will take center stage at Southern Door Community Auditorium on March 23, 7 pm.  Copper Box was named the 2023 Americana Artist of the Year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI.) They’ve opened for the likes of Huey Lewis, The Doobie Brothers, Spin Doctors and REO Speedwagon. Onstage, Michelle […]

  • Peninsula Symphonic Band Announces Season Rehearsals

    The Peninsula Symphonic Band (PSB) will begin rehearsals on March 18 at 7 pm, launching the ensemble’s 34th season. Led by music director Jason Palmer, PSB is a community band for high school and adult musicians. PSB’s 2024 spring/summer season will include performances at Sister Bay’s Waterfront Park and Sturgeon Bay’s Maritime Museum during the […]

  • William Koehler Joins Midsummer’s Music Board

    Award-winning pianist William Koehler recently joined the board of Midsummer’s Music, starting his initial three-year term. Koehler was the organization’s original pianist 34 years ago. He performed with Midsummer’s for 28 years until he retired in 2018. A native of Houston, Texas, Koehler is Professor Emeritus at Northern Illinois University, where he taught piano from […]

  • Subscriptions Available For TAP’s 2024 Season

    Subscriptions are available now for Third Avenue PlayWorks’ (TAP) 2024 season.  Subscribers enjoy priority seating and up to 15% off tickets. Three- and five-show packages are available for $112 and $174 respectively.  Flex passes are available as well for $140. Flex passes are four tickets that can be used in various ways; they can be […]

  • Destination Door County Honored With Adrian Awards

    Destination Door County (DDC) was honored for travel marketing excellence by the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International at the 67th annual Adrian Awards for travel marketing on Feb. 13 in New York. Destination Door County received two bronze awards for its winning entry in the Digital-Contest/Sweepstake category in its budget range and Advertising-Brand Campaign […]

  • Stephani On Forbes’ Best-In-State List

    Mike Stephani, Sturgeon Bay-based financial advisor, was among the Raymond James-affiliated advisors named to the Forbes list of Best-in-State Wealth Management Teams, as part of the Cape Financial Group, for the second consecutive year. The list, which recognizes teams from national, regional and independent firms, was released online Jan. 9. The list, developed by SHOOK […]

  • Renard’s Plans Major Production Expansion

    Project to benefit farmers, workers Construction of a 50,000-square-foot facility will help triple production of Renard’s cheese while also decreasing the physical demands on workers. Renard’s, referred to by the state as Rosewood Dairy, makes cheese in a century-old, 4,500-square-foot building that’s rather cramped inside. “We’ve upgraded it to the point that we can,” said […]

  • Sturgeon Bay Names Valedictorians, Salutatorian

    For the first time in known school history, there are three students tied for valedictorian for Sturgeon Bay High School, the principal’s office announced. Mercedes Hanley, Natalia Michalski, and Jade Tomberlin have tied with the highest weighted grade-point average for the graduating class of 2024.  The salutatorian for the Sturgeon Bay High School class of […]

  • Northern Sky Theater Scholarship

    The fifth annual Northern Sky Theater Werner and Sue Krause Scholarship will be awarded to two Door County high school seniors who have participated in the performing arts through their high-school careers and who are pursuing further education in theater arts or music performance.  Eligible seniors must plan to attend a post-secondary educational institution, full- […]

  • Sevastopol Committee Forming to Investigate Building Extra Gym

    Sevastopol schools superintendent and boys basketball coach Kyle Luedtke invites district residents to join a committee to investigate construction of a third gymnasium. The Sevastopol Board of Education approved in February a proposal for a committee to explore what sort of facility the district could or should construct – whether a gym with one full-sized […]

  • Duplexes Approved Over Neighbors’ Objections

    The city’s Plan Commission approved two lots to have duplexes, Feb. 21, subject to two other lots on the site being restricted to single-family dwellings, on property located south of Alabama Street between North 4th and 5th Avenue, despite neighbors’ objections. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council had decided almost 20 years ago that the land […]

  • Two New Drive-Thru Restaurants, Strip Mall Proposed

    Property located at the corner of South Columbia Avenue and Green Bay Road, near the McDonald’s restaurant on Sturgeon Bay’s west side, could be purchased to build two new drive-thru restaurants and an eight-tenant strip mall with drive-thru access. That proposed project was before the city’s Plan Commission on Feb. 21 for an initial presentation […]

  • Residents Oppose Installing Sidewalk to Connect Trail

    Sturgeon Bay’s Local Transportation Board heard Feb. 21 from residents living along South Hudson Court and a portion of South Hudson Avenue who object to the planned installation of a sidewalk along their streets that would connect portions of the Ahnapee State Trail to the north and south. Their objections include possibly having to pay […]

  • Anglers Rescued From Floating Ice

    Eleven anglers were rescued from floating ice on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the end of Big Rock Place in the Town of Gardner. The Brussel-Union-Gardner Fire Department was dispatched at 4:15 pm that day. BUG Fire Chief Curt Vandertie said when firefighters arrived, the group of anglers was spotted about a quarter of a mile […]

  • Broadband Info Workshop Series

    A series of workshops is planned to help residents learn more about the Baileys Harbor Broadband Project and its value to residents and businesses.  The workshops are co-sponsored by the Baileys Harbor Community Association, Door County Broadband/Bertram Communications, and the Baileys Harbor library.  Bertram staff will lead all sessions and be available to answer questions. […]

  • Public Hearing Set For New Floodplain Maps

    The County of Door is required by FEMA to adopt a new floodplain ordinance and maps by May 8, 2024. The county’s Resource Planning Committee (RPC) reviewed the new maps and ordinance, Feb. 1, and moved it to a public hearing. The public now has the chance to weigh-in regarding adoption of the new floodplain […]

  • What’s In Port: The “Wilfred Sykes”, a One-Time Queen of the Lakes

    by the DOOR COUNTY MARITIME MUSEUM Tom Wenstadt, contributor The Wilfred Sykes came up Lake Michigan from Burns Harbor, Indiana and meandered around out in the lake until she motored up the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Jan. 23, through the three bridges and to her dock for winter storage at the Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding dock.            […]

  • Wild Things: Another Cheater on the Hook?

    Weights being found in fish in tournaments have made the news for years, but it took an X-ray to catch an alleged cheater who weighed a potential state record 4.07-pound white crappie in Kansas.  As it was, the angler might have gotten away with it if he didn’t have the giant in a freezer weeks […]

  • DNR Opens Comment Period For Updated Eagle Tower Parking Variance

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comment on a revised variance to the Northern Lake Michigan Coastal Regional Master Plan. The updated variance provides additional detail about the changes proposed in the Peninsula State Park Eagle Tower parking variance. The variance proposes to add additional parking to expand capacity, improve public […]

  • Sister Bay Gets First Look at Aquatics Facility Plan

    If all goes according to plan, an aquatics facility could come to Sister Bay in the near future.  The village’s Plan Commision got its first look at a proposal from Rachel Stollenwerk at Tuesday’s meeting. The Fish Creek resident, who owns Edge of Park Bike Rentals with her husband Dan, hopes to build a facility […]

  • Gibraltar Students Organize Blood Drive

    The Gibraltar Student Council has partnered with the American Red Cross to organize a blood drive 9 am – 2 pm Wednesday, March 6 on campus. Donors are encouraged to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of fluids before donating. If you need a specific time, call Nathan Roets at 920.868.3284, Ext. 346. The […]