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Peninsula Pulse March 31-April 7, 2023

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  • Obituary: Sandy M. (LeClair) Sander

    November 1, 1951 ~ March 13, 2023 Sandy M. (LeClair) Sander, Spring Hill, FL, died unexpectedly March 13, 2023 at Oakhill Hospital, Spring Hill, where she has resided for the last 25 years. She was born November 1, 1951, in Sturgeon Bay to Richard ‘Pants’ and Helen (Daskare) LeClair and raised in Jacksonport, Wisconsin. On […]

  • Judges Announced for 2023 Hal Prize

    Submissions open May 1 It’s starting to feel like spring on the peninsula, and to me, that means more than just warmer weather and sunlight at 6 pm: It means it’s time to announce the judges for the Hal Prize, the Peninsula Pulse’s annual creative writing and photography contest – one of my favorite times […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Third-Grader from Virginia Looking for Wisconsin Information

    Dear people of the great state of Wisconsin, Hello! I am a third-grade student in northern Virginia. Our class is learning about the United States, and I will be teaching our school about the state of Wisconsin. In the month of May, I will create a display for our state fair that I hope will […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Restrictions Needed on Airbnb and Vrbo

    In response to Sam Watson’s column [March 24, Peninsula Pulse, “Kindness Can’t Be a Long-Term Solution to Door County’s Housing Crisis], I definitely agree that the housing market needs to change in Door County.  The long-term solution is not building low-end apartments all over the county; the long-term solution is that our municipalities need to […]

  • Letter to the Editor: Concerned If Library and Museum Are Separated

    I have concerns about any renovation of the Door County Library, including a separation of it from the Miller Art Museum, if that’s in the plans. The library in Sturgeon Bay has been part of the community since the early part of the 1900s. During the early 1970s, a new county library was being planned. […]

  • DNR Accepting Entries for Poetry Contest

    The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is accepting entries from third- to fifth-graders for the Air, Air, Everywhere poetry contest. Now in its 12th year, the annual DNR-sponsored contest is designed to raise awareness of the importance of good air quality in honor of Clean Air Month in May. The DNR encourages teachers and […]

  • Mobilizing to Defending The Right of Nature

    Anahkwet (Guy Reiter), executive director of a Menominee Indian community organization called Menīkānaehkem, will discuss the Right of Nature on April 2, 10 am, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Door County, 10341 Hwy 42 in Ephraim. The Right of Nature (RON) is a movement to protect land and resources for future generations by bestowing […]

  • Shedd Aquarium Scientist Researches Suckers in Door County

    Anglers and commercial fisheries don’t seek out suckers. More often, the omnivorous freshwater fish are considered “trash fish” to be thrown back into the water. But, although they may not be valuable to anglers, they certainly have value for researchers, according to Karen Murchie, the Shedd Aquarium’s director of freshwater research.  “Collecting data on when […]

  • DCHS Featured Pet: Mia

    Mia is a beautiful, 9-year-old dog who’s available for adoption at the Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Door County Campus. This sweet senior gal weighs 79 pounds and would love to find a comfy home where she can relax during her golden years. Like all dogs at WHS, Mia (wihumane.org/adopt/animal?id=52050721) has been spayed, vaccinated and microchipped, […]

  • Vote for Door County as Best Summer Travel Destination 2023

    Door County is nominated for USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice award for the Best Summer Travel Destination, and voting is underway through April 17 at 10best.com. People may vote daily. Winners will be announced April 28. Door County is one of 20 U.S. destinations to be nominated this year. Others in the running include […]

  • Workshop Series for Caregivers

    The Aging & Disability Resource Center of the Lakeshore is offering a Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshop on Wednesdays, April 12 – May 17, 1-3:30 pm.  Learn techniques to reduce personal stress; communicate effectively with family, friends and medical professionals; reduce guilt, anger, fear, depression and tension; practice relaxation techniques; and build confidence in handling […]

  • Northern Door Cancer-Support Group

    A new support group for those with cancer has launched in Northern Door and meets following the monthly community lunch on Wednesdays at the Sister Bay Moravian Church, 10924 Old Stage Road.  All are welcome to share in the meal, then participate in a casual, confidential exchange with others who are undergoing treatment, successfully navigating […]

  • St. Luke’s Donates $3,000 to Local Programs

    St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Sister Bay recently awarded three $1,000 grants from its outreach budget. They went to Door County Secret Santa, which pays heating bills anonymously for Door County families in need; Doctors without Borders, for its work in Turkey and Syria following the earthquakes there; and the Zuni Youth Enhancement Project, which […]

  • Shipyard Tour Tickets Available

    Tickets are on sale at DoorCountyTickets.com for the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay’s 30th Shipyard Tour on May 6. That’s when – for one day each year – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding opens its doors to the public for tours of its operations within the shipbuilding industry. Tours stop at multiple places of interest and take about 90 […]

  • PATH of Door County Summer Camp

    PATH of Door County will host a summer camp June 12 – Aug. 3 for those with special needs aged 4 to adult. Participants will meet Monday-Thursday, 8 am – 4 pm, at the PATH building, 340 Jaycee Court in Sturgeon Bay. Activities include field trips around Door County, cooking, self-help training, social-skills enhancement, outdoor […]

  • Open Door Pride Accepting Nominations for Sandy Brown Award

    Open Door Pride is accepting nominations through April 17 for its Sandy Brown Award, which celebrates people and organizations that have made Door County a more welcoming place for all to live and visit, and who have made significant contributions to LGBTQIA+ and allied communities throughout the county. This year, a committee composed of past […]

  • Guest Speaker for Parkinson’s Support Group

    The Parkinson Disease Support Group will have a guest speaker at its April 12, 1 pm, meeting as part of Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.  David Bougie – a deep brain stimulation specialist who studied neuroscience and physiology at UW-Madison and now works with neurologists and neurosurgeons across the state – will be joined by Charles, a […]

  • Tickets on Sale for FFA Basket Raffle

    Tickets for the 2023 Southern Door FFA Alumni Wine and Cheese Basket Raffle are now on sale, with proceeds supporting the FFA scholarship program. Each basket is paired with local wines, assorted Wisconsin cheeses and a coupon for butter. The raffle includes more than two dozen baskets. The grand-prize package is a two-night cabin-getaway basket […]

  • Register for Village-Wide Rummage Sale

    Registration is open for the 19th Sister Bay rummage sale, set for May 20. The registration fee of $15 includes two yard signs and a listing on the map handout as well as the Sister Bay website. All Sister Bay residents may register by April 24 at sisterbay.com.

  • CPR/AED Certification in Egg Harbor

    Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire and Rescue is offering a CPR/AED certification course for adult, child and infant care April 26, 6 pm, at the Kress Pavilion. This course includes a 3.5-hour training session, a digital certification card, a CPR shield and protective gloves. Certification is good for two years, and the cost is $35 per […]

  • Coffee and Conversation about Aging in Door County

    Do Good Door County will host a series of free coffee-and-conversation events to give community members a chance to discuss the challenges and opportunities of aging in Door County. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. Each event will run 10-11 am, and again 2-3 pm, on these dates in these places: April 6 at […]

  • Eagles Still the Favorites on the Diamond

    There will be a new head coach in the dugout for three of the county’s four high school baseball teams this spring. Only Jay Kita of Gibraltar/Washington Island is returning as the Packerland Conference prepares for play as soon as the weather cooperates.  After two years of only eight conference games and the cancellation of […]

  • West Waterfront Project Back On

    This time with a possible state grant through the city The Sturgeon Bay Terrace – a two-story, mixed-use building planned on the city’s West Waterfront – is moving forward once again. The developer, WWP Development, had informed city staff a few months ago that the project wasn’t going to happen, but now is banking on […]

  • Saying It Loud and Proud

    Peninsula Pulse earns 34 awards in 2022 Better Newspaper Contest The Peninsula Pulse received 34 awards in the 2022 Better Newspaper Contest hosted by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. The awards were announced during the association’s March 24 banquet, held at The Madison Concourse Hotel in downtown Madison.  The awards for newspapers across the state validate […]

  • Child Rescued from Inside Locked Bedroom

    It was not in any way a typical call when the Ephraim Fire Department was dispatched to a local B&B in Ephraim around 8:30 am Tuesday to rescue a 3-year-old child who had locked himself inside a third-floor bedroom. Varro Tanem was playing with one of his five siblings – all six children are younger […]

  • Nasewaupee Fire Rescue Officers Named

    After the Nasewaupee Town Board earlier this month appointed Jacob Schartner as the chief of Nasewaupee Fire Rescue, Schartner’s officer appointments were announced during the March 16 town board meeting. The town is forming the new department upon splitting around Oct. 1 from the other three municipalities in the Southern Door Fire Department.  The appointments […]

  • Gallagher Urges Study on Pilot Island Cormorant Impact on Fish

    U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Green Bay) wants the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to study the impact that double-crested cormorants and white pelicans are having on yellow perch and the sportfishing populations in federal waters adjacent to Washington Island, Pilot Island and northern Door County. Gallagher’s request was outlined in a March 24 letter […]

  • County Names New Door County Poets Laureate

    The Door County Board of Supervisors has appointed Ethel Mortenson Davis and Tom Davis to the position of Door County poets laureate for a two-year term, beginning April 1 of this year. The Door County couple succeeds the 2021-23 poet laureate, Mike Orlock. Ethel and Tom accepted the appointment during the board’s March 28 meeting, […]

  • Nasewaupee Treasurer Retiring after 52 Years in Office

    When Nasewaupee voters go to the polls next Tuesday, the person whom they’ve elected as their town treasurer for the past 52 years won’t be on the ballot. Nasewaupee’s switch from an elected to appointed treasurer will become official when the annual town meeting is held April 18, and Carol Russell will retire upon leaving […]

  • This Vote Is for Your Town and Village Leaders

    School, town and state questions are also on the ballot The April 4 election will decide which candidates local residents want to lead their towns and villages. Eight municipalities have contested races: Baileys Harbor, the Town of Forestville, Gardner, Gibraltar, Liberty Grove, Nasewaupee, Sister Bay and Washington. The final installment in our three-part election coverage […]

  • Dance and Drum Gathering at STUDIO234

    STUDIO234 will host a dance and drum gathering March 31, 7-9 pm. The circle will begin with a group meditation and a warm-up with gentle Qigong and dance-movement prompts. Drum rhythms will be added in, and dance or movement will be encouraged for individual and collective organic expression.  Attendees may supply their own drum or […]

  • Wild Things: Record Haul for Fish, Wildlife

    Wisconsin nets $46.8 million from feds by KEVIN NAZE, [email protected], Peninsula Pulse contributor For the second straight year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will receive a record amount of funding from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The $46.8 million apportionment – about $3.2 million more than last year and $14.4 million […]

  • Gibraltar Students Explore Creativity

    Seventy students from Gibraltar High School participated in creativity workshops throughout the community as part of the Friends of Gibraltar’s Exposure to Creativity program. Students engaged in screenprinting at The Lightbox (pictured above), glassblowing at Popelka Trenchard Glass, improv and theater with The Knobs at Northern Sky Theater, metalsmithing jewelry at The Clearing, and drypoint […]

  • Algoma Author Celebrates Book Release at Yardstick

    Algoma author Bret Kissinger will be at Yardstick Books on April 7, 5-7 pm, to discuss and sign copies of his third novel, The Final Edit. At 7 pm, he’ll give a brief presentation and answer questions. Refreshments will be served.  In The Final Edit, it was a bitterly cold Halloween night when college student […]

  • Local Authors Discuss

    Write On, Door County is introducing two new programs featuring area writers. Local Authors Discuss features members of the Door County Published Authors Collective reading from and discussing a particular topic or focus in their writing, and the programs will take place on a (mostly) monthly basis. All ages are welcome, and members of book […]

  • Book Recommendation: ‘Inkheart’ by Cornelia Funke

    Inkheart is probably one of my most damaged books. I first read it back in middle school, and it was one of those books where, once I had completed the final page, I would flip back to the beginning and read it all over again. The spine is cracked, and I’m surprised the pages have […]

  • Server of the Week: Michael Rose

    Looking for someone to chat with about the game Sunday night? Then go to One Barrel, where Michael talks sports with delight! A green-and-gold man, he loves his team, Imagine him serving “The Mayor” – what a dream! His coworkers have become some of his closest friends, and The positive atmosphere makes it a place […]

  • Longtime Northern Sky Board Member Steps Down

    On April 1, Northern Sky Theater board member Cyndy Stiehl will step down after 26 years of service, including serving as chair for two years starting in 2020. At Fred Alley’s request, Mary Seeberg and Cyndy Stiehl both joined the board when it was formed nearly three decades ago, and they led the organization through […]

  • Deadline Extended for Band-Camp Scholarships

    The Peninsula Symphonic Band and Swingin’ Door Big Band have extended the deadline to receive scholarship applications for their Summer Band Camp to March 31. Students in grades 7-11 are eligible to apply. Applicants must complete an application, write a 250-word essay about what they hope to learn at the camp, submit a recommendation form […]

  • TAP Season Launch Party

    Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) is hosting a season launch party April 16, 5-7 pm. The event will include hors d’oeuvres, refreshments and a preview of the 2023 season, introducing the shows, directors, cast members and community partners. Reservations for the event at SWY Gallery, 235 N. 3rd Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, are required by April […]

  • Lachrisa Grandberry to Lead NOVA Initiative

    Audiences in Door County have come to know Lachrisa Grandberry during her past five seasons with Northern Sky Theater as a performer, playwright and composer. Starting this year, she’ll also add “program director” to her list of roles as she leads the organization’s newly formed NOVA (Nurturing Original Voices and Artists) Initiative. NOVA is Northern […]

  • A Long Journey to the Screen

    Film Premieres 10 Years after Its Intended Release Date The historical drama film Confessions of a Sailor premiered at this year’s Door County Short Film Festival – nearly 10 years after it was supposed to be released.  The delay was caused by an obscure computer error message that popped up when director and producer Kurt Krauss […]

  • No Fooling! Early-bird Tickets Extended to April 4

    Your chance to take a one-stop tour of the wineries of the Door County Wine Trail is coming this June at the Door County Wine Festival. Early-bird ticket prices have been extended for a limited time, so you can get in at the lowest price through April 4.  The festival takes place Saturday, June 24 […]

  • Bits and Bites: New Taco Shop, Skip Stone Partner

    Sway This Way to Taqueria La Brisita A new partnership is coming to Baileys Harbor this summer after Sway brewery announced last month that it would be expanding to take over the former Heirloom Cafe space. That prompted many to wonder what kind of food will be coming out of the kitchen.  Now we have […]

  • Using Their Noodles

    Clario Farmstead Pasta owners move their business to Sturgeon Bay Ten years ago, Algoma hobby farmers Claire Thompson and Mario Micheli were enduring a particularly rainy summer. Now they’re running a pasta business because of it, and that business – Clario Farmstead Pasta – opened its first brick-and-mortar shop in February at 19 N. 3rd Ave. […]

  • Half Marathon Fees Increase April 1

    For four hours on Saturday, May 6, runners participating in the Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5k will have the roads of Peninsula State Park all to themselves. For 13.1 miles half marathoners will hear little more than the patter of fellow runners’ feet on the pavement, waves rippling on the shore and […]

  • Disc Golfers Take to Maxwelton

    Maxwelton Braes will host golf of a different sort this Saturday, April 1, when the Spring Time Open disc golf tournament takes over the links for its annual event. Last year, 145 players took part in the tourney presented by Dynamic Discs. Photos from the 2022 tournament by Rachel Lukas.

  • Springtime Exploration at Crossroads

    Crossroads at Big Creek is hosting a kick-off breakfast for its Habitat Healers on April 1, 8:30-10 am. Nick Lutzke, Crossroads’ land and facilities manager, will give an overview of the projects for 2023, and volunteers can meet one another before the restoration season gets underway on the first work day, set for April 22, […]

  • Algoma Artist Featured in New York Exhibition

    Algoma artist Bren Sibilsky will have her work “Her Ancestor’s Dream” included in HerStory 2023, an annual Manhattan Arts International event that promotes work by women artists worldwide. The show will be on display through May 6 and can be viewed at manhattanarts.com. Sibilsky is a full-time sculptor and painter whose work appears in many […]

  • Encaustic Work at Ladybug Glass

    Ladybug Glass Studio & Gallery is featuring the work of Alexis Arnold during April, with an opening reception planned for April 7, 5-8 pm, and April 8, 10 am – 4 pm. She will be on hand to answer questions and discuss her work. Arnold – the owner of The Art Connective in De Pere […]

  • Hope Art Alcoves Features Work by Art Teachers

    The Hope United Church of Christ’s Art Alcoves Gallery is featuring work by Southern Door art teacher John McCaulley and Sturgeon Bay art teachers Nicole Herbst, Megan Jain and Mariah Stahlke during April. An opening reception with refreshments is set for April 4, 6-7 pm.

  • Hardy Gallery Starts 2023 Season with Juried Exhibit

    The Hardy Gallery will kick off the new season with its 61st Wall-to-Wall Juried Exhibit, on display May 26 – July 9. This year’s judge is Craig Blietz, a contemporary painter who focuses on the American pastoral scene. In-person submissions will take place May 19-20, 10 am – 3 pm, at the Hardy Gallery. All […]

  • Southwestern Sojourn: Local Artists Travel for Their Work

    “I’m on a roll,” said Egg Harbor painter Ginnie Cappaert, speaking from Santa Fe. She was into her second week there, working on her oil and cold-wax paintings, which often build up through 40 or more layers.  “I have been painting pretty much every day,” she said. “The humidity is so low here that the […]

  • ‘Roaring’ Dan Seavey: Pirate of the Great Lakes

    When we think of Lake Michigan seafaring, we tend to think of fishing, not piracy, but the man who came to be known as “the pirate of the Great Lakes” had links to Door County.  Samantha Engel and Aaron Guylas will present the story of “Roaring” Dan Seavey as part of the Door County Maritime […]

  • Finalists for Next NWTC President to Participate in Public Forums

    Following a national search, three finalists have been selected for the position of president at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). Current president Dr. H. Jeffrey Rafn announced his retirement earlier this year after serving the college since 1997. Finalists are Shah Ardalan, Ed.D., president of Lone Star College-University Park in Houston, Texas; Kristen Raney, Ed.D., […]

  • Obituary: Hans Feld

    October 27, 1933 ~ March 20, 2023 Marlin Hans Feld, 89, of Sturgeon Bay, died on March 20, 2023, at Wickenburg Community Hospital in Arizona following a series of falls.  Hans was born, the youngest of seven children, to Bernhard and Hertha Feld on the family farm near Forestville, Wisconsin October 27, 1933. Hans served in the […]

  • Obituary: George “Bud” Schubert

    January 23, 1926 ~ March 22, 2023 George “Bud” Schubert, age 97 of the Town of Ledgeview, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Angel’s Touch Assisted Living and Memory Care.  He was born on January 23, 1926, to the late Fredrick John and Laura Ann (Simon) Schubert in Sturgeon Bay.  He attended Sturgeon Bay High […]

  • Obituary: Stephan M. Asher

    May 4, 1954 ~ March 22, 2023 Stephan “Steve” Asher, 68 years of Sturgeon Bay, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at Door County Medical Center after a lengthy illness. He was born May 4, 1954, in Sturgeon Bay, the son of the late Charles and Hilda (Roen) Asher. Steve is survived by his wife, Rachel; […]

  • Obituary: Barbara J Beck

    October 10, 1939 ~ March 20, 2023 Barbara J. Beck, 83 years of Sturgeon Bay, died late Monday, March 20, 2023 at Door County Medical Center. She was born October 10, 1939 in Olney IL, the daughter of the late (Gould) Weber and Evelyn Jane (Greathouse) Murvin. Barbara graduated from Noble High School before entering Northwestern University, […]

  • Obituary: Larry Francis Hanko

    April 24, 1951 ~ March 21, 2023 Larry Francis Hanko died at home on March 21, 2023, surrounded by family. He was born on April 24, 1951, in Reedsburg, WI to the late Norma and Francis Hanko, becoming their third child. Larry grew up in Cazenovia, WI., where his love of the outdoors started. He […]

  • Obituary: David A. Tollefson

    August 7, 1953 ~ March 20, 2023 David A. Tollefson, 69, of Sturgeon Bay died on March 20, 2023, at Bellin Hospital in Green Bay. He was born on August 7, 1953, to Arthur and Rita (Moeller) Tollefson in Sturgeon Bay. Dave started working at a young age for his parents who owned a cherry orchard. He […]