In this issue
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NHS Members Inducted at Southern Door
On May 5, Southern Door High School inducted 22 students into the National Honor Society (NHS), one of the oldest and most prestigious national organizations for high school students. A faculty council selected the inductees for their high standards of scholarship, service, leadership and character. NHS chapters exist in three quarters of the nation’s high […]
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Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce Seeks Nominations for 2021 Beacon Awards
The Algoma Area Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations from the public for the 2021 Beacon Awards, which honor individuals and businesses that are a source of light or inspiration. The Tower Business Award honors a business that shows leadership in the business community and also makes an impact on the local community; the Lighthouse Award […]
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DCC Shareholders’ Meeting to be Broadcast via Facebook
The 81st annual Door County Cooperative (DCC) shareholders’ meeting will be broadcast via Facebook (facebook.com/DoorCountyCooperative) on June 15, 5 pm. On May 15, DCC began mailing 3,750-plus patronage-dividend checks to members who had supported it in 2020. The distribution of more than $585,000 is equivalent to a 3.5% refund on qualifying member purchases. Members will […]
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WHEDA Seeks Applications for $1.3 Million in National Housing Trust Fund Financing
The Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) is seeking applications for a total of $1.3 million in National Housing Trust Fund financing, with the intention of expanding the number of units available for households at or below 30% of the area’s median income. Eligible projects include those that received 2020 or 2021 federal 9% […]
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MAX Is Gearing Up for a Food Frenzy MAX at Maxwelton Braes opened recently with a refreshed bar and outdoor space, and this summer, it will host numerous local chefs and dining opportunities. Expect a weekly fish fry by the Sister Bay Bowl; food-truck visits from Lumberjack’s Taco Shack, Wally’s Weenie Wagon and Great Lakes […]
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The Door County Beer Festival will move to the grounds of MAX at Maxwelton Braes, just south of Baileys Harbor, for this year’s event on June 19, 11 am – 4 pm. Organizers of the festival of craft beer, food and live music made the move to ease congestion in downtown Baileys Harbor on Father’s Day […]
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Soil Testing Available Through UW-Extension
Warmer weather means it’s a good time to do a soil test for your home landscape or food plot to learn important information about your soil’s nutrient needs, pH and organic-matter content, as well as recommendations to remedy any deficiencies. UW-Madison’s Division of Extension in Door County is the agency that handles soil samples. To […]
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Drain Campaign Educates Boaters About Invasive Species
When it begins June 4-6, Wisconsin’s annual Drain Campaign will align with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Free Fishing Weekend and Invasive Species Action Month. It’s essential for boaters to drain all water from their boats and gear before leaving one lake or river and heading to another. Draining helps to prevent the spread […]
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Virtual Commencement to Celebrate 2,000+ NWTC Grads
More than 2,000 students will receive degrees, diplomas and certificates this spring semester at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). “We are proud of our graduating students who have achieved this life-changing accomplishment,” said NWTC President Jeff Rafn. “With all of the challenges our students faced this past year, we are overjoyed to have an increase […]
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The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has awarded a $25,000 grant to the Southern Door School District to expand the equipment in its elementary and middle school fabrication laboratories (fab labs). These labs help students learn high-demand skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM). They also benefit state employers, who […]
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Sturgeon Bay Students Earn Bordui Scholarship
Three Sturgeon Bay High School seniors have been named recipients of the 2021 Bordui Foundation scholarship. Madelyn Allen will receive $10,000 to support her attendance at the University of Minnesota, and Miranda Olson and Abram Abeyta will each receive $10,000 toward their attendance at UW-Madison. The foundation’s trustees considered grade point average, test scores, an […]
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Door County Medical Center (DCMC) awarded Jamie Kasten the 2021 Jody Boes Scholarship recipient. Bill and Pam Welter established the scholarship in honor of Jody Boes, DCMC’s former chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care administration, to assist nurses who are seeking master’s or doctoral degrees with $2,500 annually. Kasten was selected based on […]
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P.E.O. Names Star Scholarship Recipient
The P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Chapter EE of Egg Harbor has recognized Rachel van Ruiten as a STAR Scholarship recipient. The $2,500 scholarship will go toward her studies at Iowa State to eventually fulfill her dream of becoming a veterinarian. The granddaughter of Door County residents Bill and Diane Miller, van Ruiten lives in Plymouth, […]
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Southern Door Celebrates Garden Week
Southern Door’s elementary and high school agriculture students celebrated School Garden Spirit Week May 17-21. Local volunteers and farmers helped students plant vegetables and fruits in the schoolyard garden, encouraging them to learn where their food comes from. The district paused the project last spring because of COVID-19 regulations. School-spirit days also encouraged students and […]
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Letter to the Editor: STR Elephant in the Room
We watched the YouTube livestream of the Sevastopol Plan Commission meeting May 11 and want to add the following comments: • Where is the data that has been used to argue for the need to restrict the number of short-term rental (STR) days to one stay in six days? Please share. That seems to be the […]
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Letter to the Editor: It’s Time for Fair Maps
In 2018, Republicans received 46% of the votes cast in Wisconsin, but because of our gerrymandered political maps, they walked away with 62% of our seats in Congress. These results are blatantly wrong. Gerrymandering is wrong, no matter which party is responsible. It is manifestly unjust because it disenfranchises a substantial majority of voters. It […]
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Letter to the Editor: Democracy Must Work for People
Rep. Kitchens’ recent survey is written with a bias. It’s not an honest attempt to get our views. He does not ask about gerrymandering, voter suppression or gun legislation – all huge issues. We deserve fair maps, not party biased. Voter-suppression legislation, already proposed in Wisconsin, is an attempt to rein in our constitutional right and […]
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Letter to the Editor: Not Feeling Represented by Current Legislators
Ron Johnson has no interest in following the truth, but he sure knows how to “follow the green,” as evidenced by the announcement of his scheduled attendance at the May 16 GOP fundraising Lincoln Day dinner. Johnson, who lately has avidly chased conservative TV cameras in order to find a forum for the nonsensical untruths […]
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Editorial: With Change Comes Opportunity for Destination Door County
As Memorial Day approaches, 2021 is shaping up as one of the busiest summers Door County has seen in a long time. Lodging establishments are booked ahead of 2019 numbers, and summer reservations continue to roll in. This comes after an off-season that, for many, was more season than off. As we emerge from the […]
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Legal Brief: Law Enforcement in the News
by JOAN KORB [email protected] Common demands during the past year have been to defund the police and reform law enforcement. The call to defund the police is a catchy phrase, but it is a dangerous concept and not an option. Reforming law enforcement is a necessity. A few statistics put the role of law enforcement […]
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Sara Lardo captured this image of an early bird.
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Server of the Week: Jessica Abt at Fat Belly Bowls & Burritos
10621 N. Highland Road in Sister Bay Whether you’re there to chat or grab a bite and dash, Jessica at Fat Belly will have it ready in a flash. She’s behind the counter, building bowls to your liking – Just be sure to catch her when she’s not out hiking. When Jessica’s not at the […]
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May 17, 1-3 pm Writing from the Field Poet Tracy Zeman leads a walk through the grounds of Write On, encouraging participants to find inspiration in natural and cultural history for their poetry or prose. The program is $30, with a 10% discount for Write On members. Scholarships are available. May 17, 7 pm Combat […]
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HARDY GALLERY OPENS SEASON WITH JURIED EXHIBIT
The Hardy Gallery, 3083 Anderson Lane in Ephraim, will kick off the 2021 season with its 59th annual Juried Exhibit, May 29 – July 11. All entries submitted will be juried to determine Best in Show (the Francis Hardy Legacy Award), $500; the Second Place Award, $400; the Third Place Award, $300; the Julia Van […]
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This is not your typical 16-year-old’s passion Tia Wiesner’s summer vacation plans could be traced to her two-year-old self who, dressed in camouflage bibs, accompanied her family on a black-bear hunt. “She was in the woods with us the whole while,” said Nicole Wiesner, Tia’s mother. Then she’s five years old, straddling her father’s shoulders […]
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Manners Matter: Unexpected Kids at Adult Dinner
Dear Mary Pat, After 14 months of keeping our distance, my husband and I were finally able to invite our friends over for a relaxing dinner indoors. Let me rephrase that: what we hoped would be a relaxing dinner indoors. Instead, our friends brought their three children along without giving us a heads-up. I love […]
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Tri This: Door County Triathlon Returns in July
A year after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 Door County Triathlon, race director Sean Ryan is hopeful that triathletes will step up to the starting line again July 17 and 18. “I’m feeling some level of optimism that the worst is behind us,” Ryan said. “I’m confident we can conduct the event live and […]
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Wild Ones: Planning for Pollinators
Tips for an attractive garden The trees are leafing out; the soil is getting warmer; and folks are beginning to think about adding annuals and perennials to their gardens and landscapes. Conveniently, suppliers from garden centers to farm-market stalls will soon have a plethora of flowers available. Many people are just going for pretty yards, […]
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Chives Food Trucks are Back, Faster Than Ever
Chives has cultivated a progressive menu with distinctive ingredients and a relaxing, take-your-time approach to an evening out in its Baileys Harbor dining room. Last year, restrictions on indoor dining forced J.R. Schoenfeld – who owns both Chives and Barringer’s in Fish Creek – to reinvent the restaurants’ business models again and again. One reinvention was to […]
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Fun at the Miller Art Museum: Exhibits by six featured artists will run through May 29
This month’s shows at the Miller Art Museum, 107 S. 4th Ave. in Sturgeon Bay, are just plain fun. The work of six featured artists, plus work by Gerhard CF Miller, play together nicely with sometimes surprising echoes of subjects and styles. Craig Blietz’s cow paintings have some company in the work of Schomer Lichtner […]
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WILD THINGS: Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament Is This Weekend
More than 130 teams are registered for the 31st annual Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament, set for May 14-15 at Sawyer Park. They’ll leave the park at 6 am each day, with weigh-ins beginning at 3 pm. The event is part of the North American Bass Challenge, and teams paid a $510 fee to enter. […]
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Town Chair Don Sitte appointed a Nelson’s shopping center property ad hoc committee during the Baileys Harbor Town Board’s first in-person regular meeting in almost a year. Following the town’s voter-approved October 2021 purchase of the property, Sitte appointed David Eliot as ad hoc committee chair and Dave Smith, Jane Pluff, Paul Salm and Susie […]
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Hiking Event Celebrates Ice Age Trail Designation
The Lakeshore Chapter of the Ice Age Trail Alliance and Destination Sturgeon Bay have teamed up to throw a designation celebration hike May 29, 9 am, at the starting point of the Ice Age Trail in Potawatomi State Park. The event toasts the City of Sturgeon Bay’s new status as an Ice Age Trail community. […]
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Ron Johnson Headlines Lincoln Day Dinner
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson and U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher will be in Door County on Sunday, May 16, for the annual Lincoln Day Dinner, a Republican fundraiser to be held at The Lodge at Leathem Smith, 1640 Memorial Dr. in Sturgeon Bay. A 2 pm social with a cash bar will precede the 3 pm […]
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Otumba Beach Improvements Underway
The Sturgeon Bay Common Council accepted the lowest of four bids last month for the planned improvements to Otumba Park Beach. Storms batter the popular neighborhood beach at 225 W. Juniper St., so the improvements will make the beach less vulnerable to erosion and shoreline damage. They will also create a bigger beach, safer swimming […]
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Town of Gibraltar Names First Administrator
The Town of Gibraltar has chosen Travis Thyssen as its first administrator. He signed his contract during a town board meeting May 5, but the town made no further announcement. Thyssen’s LinkedIn page lists him as the owner of Dream Builders and Developers in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, where he is a member of both the […]
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Sawyer Named Egg Harbor Administrator
The Village of Egg Harbor Board of Trustees has chosen Megan Sawyer as the new village administrator. She’s a familiar face in the community, having served as deputy administrator/deputy clerk-treasurer for four years when she was Megan Vandermause. The trustees said Sawyer displayed leadership capabilities and other positive qualities while working with the village through […]
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The reason why Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers was standing in the Bearded Heart last week holding a freshly brewed beverage was maybe simpler than one may have expected. “The reason we stopped was because of the name,” he said. Mary Horton, owner of the Baileys Harbor cafe and restaurant, said the notification on the answering […]
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Affordable Housing Project Gets Big Boost in Sister Bay
A project that would bring 45 affordable rental units to Sister Bay received a big boost this month when the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) awarded $718,283 in annual tax credits to the project for the next 10 years. Marissa Downs of Mosaic Ventures outlined the plan for 45 units on a 12.6-acre […]
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Northern Door Volleyball League Registration Opens
Registration is open for the Northern Door Volleyball Summer League on the County A courts in Fish Creek. New teams are encouraged to form and join. Teams will compete on Wednesday nights under the lights and stars, June 2 – Aug. 11, with a potential rain date on Aug. 18. The team entry fee is […]
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TAP to Premiere Door County Stories on May 14
Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) is launching a series, Door County Stories, to profile Door County residents telling their own personal stories. The series’ curators and hosts will be Robert Boles and James Valcq, TAP’s co-artistic directors; Stephanie Trenchard, co-owner of Popelka Trenchard Glass Fine Art Gallery; and Alex Genty-Waksberg, a former TAP staff member who’s pursuing […]
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Bringing the Stage to Life: The lighting design of Bryce Foster
Bryce Foster has a fear of heights. To overcome that fear, he hoisted himself 40 feet into the air, up onto the catwalk of his high school theater in Aurora, Colorado, leaned out over the open area above the stage, and started hanging lights. Lighting wasn’t Foster’s introduction to technical theater – he had helped to […]
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Bits & Bites: Fat Belly is Back, Bearded Heart Beats Again
Fat Belly Is Back Fat Belly, 10621 N. Highland Road in Sister Bay, opened last week with an updated menu. Following the success of its weekly Mac Mondays last year, mac & cheese specialties are now menu staples, including the three-cheese truffle, chicken bacon ranch, and barbecue mac with Door Karma bacon. Dining by the […]
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Jacksonport Farmers Market to Open May 18
The Jacksonport Farmers Market (jacksonport.net) – to be held every Tuesday through Oct. 19 – will open May 18, 9 am – 1 pm. It began 14 years ago in Lakeside Park with 12 local vendors and has seen steady growth to nearly 30 booths. The market features 30% handcrafted items and 70% farm produce and products, with […]
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Help Restore Algoma’s Crescent Beach
Join Algoma’s Friends of Crescent Beach (FOCB) in its ongoing beach-restoration effort by helping to replace invasive species with native plants. Lovers of nature and Crescent Beach are encouraged to become Crescent Crew volunteers and attend an information session May 20, 6 pm, at Knudson Hall, 620 Lake St. in Algoma. The first work day […]
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Explore The Ridges Sanctuary through Guided Hikes
Naturalist-guided hikes are back at The Ridges Sanctuary (ridgessanctuary.org), offered Monday-Friday, 10 am, through Aug. 28. Prepare to learn all about the rich cultural and natural history of the sanctuary. Appel’s Bluff guided hikes are offered monthly on the first and third Wednesdays, 1 pm, to explore this varied landscape, which features ledges, a hardwood […]
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Facilities, Infrastructure Upgrades at Peninsula State Park
Visitors to Peninsula State Park this year will be in for a treat, courtesy of a major transformation that the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has carried out during the past year. Facilities and infrastructure upgrades include a new shower/restroom facility at the South Nicolet campground, restroom upgrades at the South Nicolet and Weborg Point […]
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Starting Line in Sight for Triathlon
A year after the coronavirus pandemic canceled the 2020 Door County Triathlon, race director Sean Ryan is hopeful that triathletes will step up to the starting line again July 17 and 18. “I’m feeling some level of optimism that the worst is behind us,” Ryan said. “I’m confident we can conduct the event live and […]
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Obituary: Emery Wallace Koehler
September 20, 1929~May 9, 2021 Emery Wallace Koehler, 91, of Sister Bay, died peacefully on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at the Good Samaritan Society – Scandia Village. He was born September 20, 1929 in Joliet, Illinois, son of the late Arnold Paul and Myrtle Isabel (Knudson) Koehler. Emery grew up on the family farm in […]
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DDC Head Jack Moneypenny Resigns
Destination Door County (DDC) announced the resignation of President and CEO Jack Moneypenny, who has led the organization since 2007. Moneypenny’s last day will be July 14. Moneypenny said that due to the changing structure and direction of the organization it was time to part ways, according to a statement issued by DDC Monday. Moneypenny […]
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Obituary: William B. Van Allen Jr.
July 26, 1954 ~ May 3, 2021 William “Bill” Van Allen Jr., 66, of Sturgeon Bay, died at home on May 3, 2021. He was born in Chicago to William and Judith (Gedmin) Van Allen Sr. on July 26, 1954. Bill served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1972 to 1975. He worked […]
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Obituary: Kaye M. (Kronenberg) Wagner
October 10, 1951 ~ April 30, 2021 Kaye M. (Kronenberg) Wagner died unexpectedly April 30, 2021 at the Medical Center in Raton, New Mexico. She was en route from her winter residence in Tucson, Arizona to her beloved Door County, Wisconsin home. She was born October 10, 1951, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, the only child […]
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July 19, 1947 ~ May 8, 2021 Peter E. Brooks, 73 years old, of Sister Bay, Wisconsin formerly of Oak Park, Illinois, died Saturday, May 8, 2021 at Sturgeon Bay Health Services after a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in February of this year. He was born July 19, 1947 in Bronx, NY, the son of […]
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May 9, 1933~March 10, 2021 Marilyn Liebe, 87, of Nasewaupee, died on March 10, 2021, at Pine Crest Village. She was born May 9, 1933, in Two Rivers, WI to Earl and Jeanette (Bonnes) Wiesner. On June 20, 1959, she married Leroy E. Liebe, who preceded her in death on May 28, 2017. After graduating […]
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June 29, 1946 ~ May 7, 2021 Joseph Ramirez, 74, of Sturgeon Bay, died on May 7, 2021, at Sturgeon Bay Health Services. He was born June 29, 1946, in Chicago to Charles and Manuela (Sandoval) Ramirez. Joe lived most of his life in Chicago until several years ago when he moved to Sturgeon Bay […]
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November 28, 1931 ~ May 2, 2021 Edward Preston Elliott, 89, of Sister Bay, died Sunday morning, May 2, 2021 at Good Samaritan Society-Scandia Village. He was born November 28, 1931 in Crawfordville, IN, the son of Baptist minister, Rev. Beverly Esmond Elliott and Geneva (Burgess) Elliott. Ed attended High School in Terre Haute, IN […]
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February 8, 1939 ~ April 28, 2021 Pamela Jardine, respected curator and advocate for Native American art and culture, passed away on April 28, 2021 in Princeton, NJ after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Most recently, she helped revive one of Montclair Art Museum’s best kept secrets with the reinstallation of the New Jersey […]