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Peninsula Pulse March 24-31, 2023

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In this issue

  • Server of the Week: Theresa Oswalt-Kromer

    After a drive down south, you’ll find it tucked away: A little restaurant called Waterfront Mary’s, right by the bay! On the clock, you’ll find Theresa there, Taking food orders and mixing drinks with care. She loves her co-workers and the patrons she meets, And in her spare time, returning to chat – what a […]

  • Before Books, John Maggitti Helped Disarm Nukes

    Sometime in the early 1990s John Maggitti was at a Soviet air base – Sharomy Naval Air Base on the Kamchatka Peninsula – watching several dozen live nuclear weapons from the former Soviet Union get loaded onto a FedEx 747 for a seven-hour flight to Naval Air Station Oakland in California. Maggitti was working as a weapons […]

  • Letter to the Editor: It’s That Simple!

    If you want the Wisconsin law from the 1800s to run your life and force not-uncommon victims of violent rape and incest to carry resulting pregnancies for nine months, going through hours of labor and possibly surgery, vote for any constitutional conservative such as Dan Kelly. It truly is that simple! And horrifying! Diane EvensonSturgeon […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Why Should You Vote on April 4?

    Although abortion seems to be a front-running issue for many, in my opinion there is much more at stake when choosing who will be on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.  The stakes in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race could not be higher! Major reforms from the past 25 years in Wisconsin are on the line, including […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Parks Are an Investment in Local Families

    During the Feb. 6 Parks Committee meeting in Sister Bay, village administrator Julie Schmelzer presented research on different types of parks and noted that the village has no mini-parks or neighborhood parks. She noted that the village owns land at the corner of Ava Hope and Northwoods Drive, which is surrounded by Stony Ridge condos; […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Judge Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court

    I would like to urge everyone to vote in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election coming up on April 4.  This year we get to vote in one of the most important elections in the country. There’s so much at stake in this election. This year the Wisconsin Supreme Court will likely rule on a woman’s […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Clearing Up Misinformation Circulating in Nasewaupee

    Seats on the Nasewaupee Town Board are up for election April 4, and there has been a lot of misleading information circulating in our community. The town gave notice to the Southern Door Fire Department last year that we will be leaving it and have created Nasewaupee Fire Rescue. Rumors are going around that your […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Vote in Every Election!

    Many voters do not vote in every election. They may think that only major elections are important for democracy. Sometimes I fear that folks simply opt out and don’t vote because the political ads can be so negative and annoying. Please do not opt out! Vote on Tuesday, April 4. Democracy is more than a […]

  • Letter to the Editor: People’s Court

    Our Supreme Court election on April 4 offers us a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change from top-down dictatorial rule to a true Court of the People.  Gerrymandering is on the ballot. The right for doctors to provide proper medical care throughout a pregnancy is on the ballot. A woman’s (and couple’s) right to choose is on […]

  • Ridges Sanctuary’s Crane Symposium

    The Ridges Sanctuary is hosting a crane symposium to expand awareness and appreciation of Door County’s crane populations.  Prof. Stanley Temple will be the keynote speaker April 14, 6-7:30 pm, when he presents “What Have We Done to Deserve All These Cranes?” Temple will review the recovery of Midwestern sandhill cranes, describe their migratory behavior […]

  • Festival of Nature Registration Open

    Registration is open for The Ridges Sanctuary’s 21st Festival of Nature, which will explore and celebrate connectivity. The festival will start Memorial Day weekend with an artist exhibit and reception, dinner and keynote presentation, and a 20-year-vision open house, followed by dozens of individual events through the second week of June. Learn more about all […]

  • Composting Topic of Potluck Program

    Wild Ones of the Door Peninsula and the Climate Change Coalition of Door County (CCCDC) are hosting a potluck March 28 at Crossroads at Big Creek that features a program on composting. The evening will start with an optional, heavy hors d’oeuvres potluck at 6 pm. Participants are asked to provide a plate of finger […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Lola

    Lola is a wonderful, 2-year-old dog who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. This 40-pound pooch has a beautiful, black-and-white coat, and she can’t wait to meet her new family. Like all dogs at WHS, Lola (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=52192041) has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, and she goes home with a […]

  • Guest Performers at Sunday Service

    Mama J and the Praise Hounds – a Christian praise band made of local musicians from various area congregations – will be guest performers for the March 26, 9:30 am, service at Hainesville Lutheran Church, 3944 Cty M in Sturgeon Bay. All are welcome, and a brunch will follow the service.

  • Nutrition and Mental Health Connections

    Cathy Keller, outpatient dietitian at the Door County Medical Center, will speak March 26, 9 am, at Hope United Church of Christ about nutrition and studies that examine the effect that foods and dietary patterns have on the development and treatment of mental-health conditions, including depression, anxiety and ADHD.  Keller completed a clinical dietetic internship […]

  • Weekend Programs at UUFDC

    The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County (UUFDC) welcomes two guests this weekend: Anna Knapp and Art Kopischke. Knapp, a Door County mother and vice president of the UUFDC, is working to give local people a means to share the real-world experiences of women and mothers – and what they care about – with local, state and […]

  • Loaves and Fishes Returns to Northern Door

    The free, monthly Northern Door Loaves & Fishes meals – which were paused during the pandemic – will resume May 11.  All are welcome to attend the dinners, served monthly on the second Thursday, 4:30-6:30 pm, at Stella Maris, 2110 S. Bay Shore Dr. in Sister Bay. Ephraim Moravian Church provides funding for the dinners. In addition […]

  • Beanie Babies Donated to EMTs

    Door County EMTs received a donation of 50 teddy bear Beanie Babies from the Sturgeon Bay Masons and Order of Eastern Star.  The Eastern Star’s Sonja Pinney said she learned from EMTs that stuffed animals help to calm children – especially young ones and those with Down syndrome and special needs – in emergency situations. Adults […]

  • New Door County Destination Guide Now Available

    Destination Door County’s 2023 Official Destination Guide is now available. In its pages, find detailed travel-planning ideas and information, editorial content, profiles of Door County communities, and business and organization listings for the arts, history and culture, recreation, lodging, dining, shopping, services, group travel and event planning. A new “ask a local” section highlights area […]

  • Couple Completes Third Commercial Purchase

    Real estate investors Michael and Barb Rapp have purchased a third Sturgeon Bay commercial property this year – this one the shopping center known as West Marine at 1449 Green Bay Road. Michael Schwantes of Creative Business Services/CBS-Global facilitated the sale. The Rapps intend to update and revamp the 18,961-square-foot shopping center with lighting and […]

  • Realtors Take Gun-Safety Training

    In partnership with Door County real estate agencies, Virlee Gunworks recently offered training to real estate agents related to firearm safety and self-defense, including deterrents, situational awareness and techniques for protecting themselves in dangerous situations. “Real estate agents often work alone and enter unfamiliar homes and neighborhoods,” said Oscar Castillo, Virlee Gunworks manager and instructor. […]

  • Open House in New Partners Space

    Partners for Community Development (Partners) is holding an open house April 6, 12-5 pm, at its new office at 120 W. Spruce St. in Sturgeon Bay. Meet the staff, take a tour and enjoy refreshments and a chance to win prizes. Founded in 1975 in Sheboygan and beginning operations in Sturgeon Bay in 2018, Partners […]

  • High School Job Fair Connecting 500 Students and 30 Businesses

    Event scheduled for March 29 in Sturgeon Bay Local business owners who are in search of summer help and youth apprentices – and high school students who want to find a job or learn about future career opportunities – will connect during the High School Job Fair on March 29, 8:30 am – 12:30 pm, at Stone […]

  • Fish Tales Lectures

    An Unexpectedly Hopeful Look at an Uncertain Future

    by COGGIN HEERINGA, Interpretive Naturalist, Crossroads at Big Creek The Fish Tales Lecture Series at Crossroads drifted from the normal format on March 16, when Val Klump presented “An Uncertain Future: Meeting the Challenge of Restoring and Preserving Our Great Lakes.” And although the threats and challenges seem overwhelming, his presentation was unexpectedly hopeful. The […]

  • Red Cross Trains Volunteers March 25

    The Red Cross is seeking volunteers to be part of its Disaster Action Team (DAT) in Door County. DATs are called to the scenes of local emergencies such as house fires, according to local DAT member Jody Weitman. From there, they provide victims with emotional support and connect them to Red Cross services and other […]

  • Meet the Candidates: Gibraltar and Nasewaupee

    This is the second of three weeks of coverage we’ll have on candidates running in the April 4 election for seats on their town or village boards. The candidates for this week are in the Gibraltar and Nasewaupee races. Next week will be Sister Bay, Gardner and Washington. To review last week’s candidates – Baileys […]

  • No Light Shed on Southern Door Superintendent’s Absence

    Also: District withholds online messages pertaining to coach’s February resignation The Southern Door School District continues to withhold reasons why Superintendent Chris Peterson is on leave, or whether the matter pertains exclusively to Peterson. “I am not able to comment further as this is a pending personnel matter,” said school board president Penny Price, in […]

  • Order Trees for Big Plant

    The Climate Change Coalition of Door County is preparing for this year’s Big Plant, whose goal is to get 10,000-plus trees distributed and planted. Community members can buy trees – balsam fir, red pine, white pine and white spruce – in trays of 50 plugs for $42.50 per tray. To order trees, email [email protected] and indicate […]

  • Neighbors Oppose Duplex in Historic District

    Plan Commission tables decision on permit After holding a public hearing during which opponents harshly criticized a couple’s plans to convert a house in the Louisiana Street/7th Avenue Historic District into a two-unit dwelling, the Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission agreed March 15 to table action on the conditional-use permit until its meeting next month. Jurgita […]

  • Legislation Introduced to Repeal Abortion Law

    Democratic legislators rolled out a bill this week that would repeal Wisconsin’s abortion ban and revert abortion access in the state back to June 23, 2022: the day before the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey.  “This bill […]

  • La Follette Retires After 44 Years

    Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug La Follette, who has held the job for more than 44 years, announced March 17 that he was retiring. Gov. Tony Evers thanked La Follette for his decades of service and appointed former Wisconsin treasurer Sarah Godlewski the same day. “In a critical position that has seen no turnover in […]

  • Cell-Tower Lease Approved at Big Hill Park

    The Sturgeon Bay Common Council voted Tuesday to approve a Finance/Purchasing and Building Committee recommendation that the city lease out land at Big Hill Park – the highest point on the east side – for the construction of a 170-foot cellular tower.  U.S. Cellular’s plans call for the unilluminated tower to be the same height […]

  • Town of Nasewaupee Appoints Clerk and Treasurer

    The Town of Nasewaupee has hired a clerk and treasurer following the decision voters made last November to move the positions from elected to appointed, effective April 18. Nasewaupee resident Donna Wolak will be taking over the town clerk position from Jill Lau, who is running next month for a supervisor seat on the town […]

  • Worker Housing Sought for Broadband Projects

    Finding housing for fiber installers would help expedite the hookup of better internet access throughout the Town of Baileys Harbor, a committee chair told the town board last week. “If there is some way we can figure out how to find housing for six to 12 crew members, it would be lovely to have them […]

  • Sturgeon Bay on Its Way to TID #8

    Sturgeon Bay’s Plan Commission approved a resolution to recommend creating the city’s eighth tax increment district (TID) near the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Jefferson Street, following a public hearing March 15.  The Common Council will consider the recommendation during its April 4 meeting. TID #8 is called for in a development agreement that Shirley […]

  • Sturgeon Bay CNA Earns $10,000 Scholarship

    On March 21, Unity Hospice presented Megan Scoon, a certified nursing assistant (CNA) from Sturgeon Bay, with the $10,000 Red-D-Mix Concrete Sponsorship of the Florence Kowalkowski, RN Scholarship. “I am sincerely honored and grateful for this scholarship, which is providing me with the finances to follow my dreams,” Scoon said. “This is life changing. I […]

  • Sevastopol Launches First Fine Arts Night

    Art and music will fill Sevastopol school’s hallways during the district’s inaugural Fine Arts Night on March 30. The collection of decades’ worth of Sevastopol art students’ artworks that the district saved or purchased will be on display in the Pioneer Legacy Gallery courtesy of a project that high school art teacher Klayton Klindt completed […]

  • Governor Authorizes 500K for Potawatomi Tower

    Gov. Tony Evers has authorized his administration to spend up to $500,000 to stabilize the Potawatomi State Park observation tower. The move comes after he included $6,060,000 within his capital budget to revitalize the tower with an adjoining helical ramp that will allow people with mobility impairments to access the 75-foot views.  “With restoration of […]

  • Catching Air

    A skier gets air at the Ellison Bay ski jump, circa 1930s. Do you know details about the ski jump in Ellison Bay? Email [email protected] to share the information. Photo courtesy of Michelle Rasmusson.

  • Wild Things: Is a Record Smallmouth Bass Swimming in Door County Waters?

    A Lake Erie 10-plus-pounder has anglers wondering and talking by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected], Peninsula Pulse contributor Many die-hard bass anglers believe the waters of Green Bay offer the best chance at breaking Wisconsin’s 73-year-old state smallmouth record: a 9-pound, 1-ounce giant caught in Oneida County’s Indian Lake on June 21, 1950. The closest anyone has […]

  • Perspective: Kindness Can’t Be a Long-Term Solution to Door County’s Housing Crisis

    When I landed a job at the Peninsula Pulse last summer, my plan was to sign a lease on an apartment, move from Madison to Door County, and settle down to start my career in journalism. I got stuck on step one. Before moving, I wasn’t familiar with Door County at all. It wasn’t until […]

  • Editor’s Note: Be the Hummingbird

    The ancient story I read recently goes like this: “One day in the forest, a fire broke out. All the animals ran for their lives. They stood at the end of the blaze, looking at the flames in terror and sadness. Up above their heads, a hummingbird was flying back and forth to the fire, […]

  • Author Lisa Vihos Reading, Book Signing

    Sheboygan author Lisa Vihos will read from her novel The Lone Snake: The Story of Sofonisba Anguissola, answer questions and sign books April 1, 1-2 pm, at Yardstick Books, ​​317 Steele St. in Algoma. In The Lone Snake, Vihos brings Renaissance artist Sofonisba Anguissola to life as a woman who’s yearning for recognition in a […]

  • Book Signing at Madison Avenue Wine Shop

    Local author Jane Hensge will sign her latest book, Do Over In Pearl Center, on March 25, 10 am – 1 pm, at Madison Avenue Wine Shop, 25 S. Madison Ave. in Sturgeon Bay. The book is filled with the protagonist’s humorous observations on life as she welcomes a new start in her hometown. She is […]

  • Book Recommendation: ‘This Is How We Do It’ by Matt Lamothe

    Recommended by KARLIE MARTENS, bookseller at Novel Bay Booksellers In this book, Lamothe takes readers on a trip around the globe – without ever leaving home – to learn about seven children who live in different parts of the world and highlight the parts of their day. Oleg in Russia, for example, wears a uniform to school. […]

  • Janet Planet Concludes Kress Pavilion’s Art of Music Series

    The Kress Pavilion’s Art of Music winter concert series will conclude April 14, 7 pm, with a performance by Janet Planet, described as a “sultry vocalist with a vast repertoire of jazz, blues and standards.”  Planet is a performer, producer, recording artist, voice-over talent and commercial singer. She’s also on the jazz faculty at Lawrence […]

  • Six Weeks Until the Door County Half Marathon & Nicolet Bay 5K

    The snow is melting (knock on wood), and spring is fighting its way back into our lives, which means the Door County Half Marathon isn’t far behind.  There are just six weeks until the 2,000-plus runners of the Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K toe the starting line in Peninsula State Park on […]

  • Celebrate Women’s History Month at Crossroads

    The March 25 meeting of Saturday Science at Crossroads at Big Creek will celebrate Women’s History Month with a program about the “women in the sky”: the Seven Sisters, Venus, Virgo, Cassiopeia and Andromeda. Children and their families will explore these constellations, 1-4 pm, through myths, skits and reading sky maps. Meet in the upper […]

  • Backward Fun Run/Walk Benefits Historical Societies

    The Sister Bay Athletic Club is organizing a Backward Fun Run/Walk to benefit the Sister Bay and Liberty Grove historical societies May 20, 9 am, at Ellison Bluff County Park. Participants of all ages will walk or jog a one-mile loop – but backward! – and they may circle the loop as many times as they want. […]

  • Sister Bay, Jacksonport Host Easter Egg Hunts

    The hunt is on April 8 in Sister Bay and Jacksonport, where you can take your kids to hunt for Easter eggs and claim fun prizes.  The Jacksonport Area Business Association will host an Easter egg hunt for children aged 3-10 at Lakeside Park. Register near the back covered shelter beginning at 10 am; then […]

  • Door to Nature: Sugar Maple Tree Sap

    A favorite slogan of mine is, “May is the month for morel mushrooms.” But now I also like “March is the month for maple syrup.”  Friends who live in Sturgeon Bay tap 200 sugar maple (Acer saccharum) trees each year in late winter. The best sap run occurs on sunny days when the temperature rises […]

  • Last Chance for Early-bird Wine Fest Tickets

    If you love Door County wines, the perfect event is waiting for you on June 24, 2023.  The Door County Wine Festival is bringing the wineries of the Door County Wine Trail to one location for an afternoon of tasting, music and discovery on the lawn of Maxwelton Braes in Baileys Harbor.  Enjoy live music […]

  • Wine Trails: No Shortcuts at Stone’s Throw

    I’ve heard people say that there are individuals they could sit and listen to for hours, but I’ve seldom experienced that situation. Listening has never been an area of competence for me, but as Russell Turco, owner and winemaker at Stone’s Throw winery, was explaining the difference between aging wine in French oak versus American […]

  • Door Shakespeare Tickets on Sale

    Tickets are now on sale for the two works in Door Shakespeare’s 2023 season. William Shakespeare’s As You Like It takes the audience to the Forest of Arden, where Rosalind searches for family, place and person.  The Old Man and the Old Moon – with book, music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Company – is a musical […]

  • Cast Announced for Peninsula Players Reading

    Peninsula Players Theatre has announced the cast for the final installment of its winter play-reading series, The Play’s the Thing. A reading of i, a new play by Jeff Talbott, is scheduled for April 3, 7 pm, at Björklunden. The cast, under the direction of artistic director Linda Fortunato, features actors Ayanna Bria Bakari, Karen […]

  • Culture Club: “Seven Last Words of Christ” by Franz Joseph Haydn

    by ALLYSON FLECK, Executive Director, Midsummer’s Music As the title suggests, Seven Last Words of Christ focuses on the biblical account of Christ’s crucifixion. After an introduction, it explores Christ’s seven last words on the cross through seven sonatas. The final movement is a vivid musical depiction of the earthquake mentioned in the Gospel of […]

  • Mike at the Movies: Creed III is the Latest Addition to a Timeless, Binge-worthy Series

    by MIKE ORLOCK Michael B. Jordan has emerged as one of the most interesting movie stars working these days. He exudes the sort of smoldering intensity – sexual, kinetic and violent – that elevates some actors into international superstardom. His portrayal of Killmonger in Black Panther, for example, was one of the great villain portrayals […]

  • Yamato Brings the Beat to Door Community Auditorium

    Drum ensemble plays March 29 One of the most unusual performances of the year is coming to the Door Community Auditorium on March 29. That’s when the Yamato drummers will take the stage for a stunning auditory experience.  From their home base in Asuka Village, Japan, Yamato travels the world, sharing the sound of Japan’s […]

  • Art On Fire

    Jodi Rose Gonzales recently completed the fifth piece in her Girl in the Woods series – a visual expression of yoga philosophy – with a performative burning of “Timberella Five.”  In this work, fire represents the transformative quality of a regular mindfulness practice, through which limiting beliefs and false personal narratives are said to be burned away. This […]

  • Easter Eggstravaganza!

    These are not your typical Easter eggs A Google search for Easter eggs brings up pastel colors, bunnies and floral patterns. But Easter eggs in the Baker-Metzel household mean something much different: Dremel tools, Sculpey polymer clay and beautiful works of art that sometimes no longer look like eggs. Siblings Suzanne and Joanne Metzel – […]

  • Obituary: Duane “Corky” Corbisier

    January 9, 1942 ~ March 20, 2023 Duane “Corky” Corbisier, 81, of Brussels, died with his family by his side on March 20, 2023, at Aurora Bay Care Medical Center in Green Bay.  He was born Jan. 9, 1942 in Little Sturgeon to Sidney and Irene (Gleasner) Corbisier.  On Feb. 14, 1970, he married Susan […]

  • Obituary: Dr. Lisa A. Watkins-Liseno

    May 1, 1968 ~ March 12, 2023 Dr. Lisa Ann (Watkins) Liseno, 54, died on March 12, 2023, after a fall in her home in Crawfordville, Fla.  She was born on May 1, 1968, in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., to Norm and Mabel Watkins. Lisa was wickedly smart, funny, strong-willed, fiercely assertive in the face of injustice and cared deeply about others. She truly lit up the lives of […]

  • Obituary: Hollis Edward Herrell, Sr.

    May 21, 1940 ~ March 13, 2023 Hollis Edward Herrell, Sr., 82, of Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, died Monday morning, March 13, 2023, at Pine Crest Village. He was born May 21, 1940, in Onalaska, Wisconsin, the son of Francis Ehrlich Herrell and Dorothy Penn Herrell. Hollis grew up in Bloomer and graduated from Bloomer High […]

  • Obituary: Pastor Leroy Charles Bass

    January 17, 1925 ~ March 6, 2023 Leroy Charles Bass, 98, of Washington Island, Wisconsin, died in the comfort of his home, Monday afternoon, March 6, 2023. He was born January 17, 1925 in Springfield, Massachusetts, the son of G. (Guy) Russell Bass and May Pease (Kibbe) Bass, of New England Yankee families. Leroy grew […]

  • Obituary: Kaye Sharon Knutson

    March 12, 1943 ~ March 16, 2023 Kaye Knutson, 80, of Sturgeon Bay, died on March 16, 2023.  She was born March 12, 1943, in Sturgeon Bay to Harold and Mabel (Kalms) Knutson.  She started her schooling in the one room schoolhouse at Hainesville and graduated from West Bend High School in 1961. Kaye earned […]

  • Obituary: Ronald Edward Gauger

    January 12, 1935 ~ March 14, 2023  Ronald Edward Gauger, 88, of Sturgeon Bay, died Tuesday, March 14, 2023. He was born January 12, 1935 in Wausau, the son of Edward and Dorothy (Stanislawski) Gauger. Ron grew up attending parochial school and St. Anne’s Parish, both in Wausau before attending Wausau High School. Ron enlisted to serve […]

  • Obituary: Joseph W. Klaubauf

    December 24, 1956 – March 13, 2023 Joseph W. Klaubauf, 66, of Kewaunee, died on March 13, 2023. He was born on December 24, 1956, to the late Walter and Marguerite (Donovan) Klaubauf. During his life he worked as a machinist at Exactech. Joe is survived by his brother; John (Carol) Klaubauf; sister, Mary (Bob) […]

  • Obituary: Dorothy M. (Bochek) Leist

    September 8, 1926 ~ March 13, 2023 Dorothy Mae (Bochek) Leist, 96, of Sturgeon Bay, died Monday, March 13, 2023 at Door County Medical Center. She was born September 8, 1926, the daughter of the late John and Mary (Brauer) Bochek. Dorothy married John T. Leist on October 20, 1945 at S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic […]

  • Obituary: Marlene (Malin) “Tudy” Ekman Nicolazzo

    November 11, 1931 ~ March 8, 2023 Marlene (Malin) “Tudy” Ekman Nicolazzo, died Wednesday, March 8, 2023. She was the daughter of Henny and Titus Ekman, immigrants from northern Sweden. Painter and illustrator, Marlene (Malin) Ekman, lived and worked from her historic log cabin home in Baileys Harbor, Wisconsin. Tudy was born in Evanston, IL; later, her […]