In this issue
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Several Firsts for 2014 Polar Bear Plunge
In addition to the 2014 Jacksonport Polar Bear Club’s 28th annual New Year’s Day plunge into Lake Michigan being the coldest on record (31.6 degree water and 2 degree air temperature), there were a couple of other firsts for the event:
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Les and Lucille Berns had been married almost 64 years when Lucille passed away on Feb. 11, 2011. Devastated and lonely, Les turned to his piano as a distraction, spending hours at the keyboard to help take his mind off his loss.
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May 23, 1996, the Peninsula Pulse published its first paper. We believed that everyone had a story, we believed that there was no better place to find and tell stories than in Door County, and we were naive enough to believe that people would read the stories we told.
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Gibraltar Elementary Students Create “Lucky to Live By the Bay”
This article began as what was going to be an interview with well known Door County artist Liz Maltman. As I began talking to Liz by telephone I realized her focus was on her current project, a mural that was recently placed in the Gibraltar Elementary School.
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In the spirit of Katherine Anne Porter’s classic short story “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall,” Wendell Berry’s novel The Memory of Old Jack occupies one day in the life of a central character.
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Door County Reads ‘The Memory of Old Jack’
In a continuation of the popular Door County Reads program, the county will once again be encouraged by the Door County Library to read, think about, share and discuss the same book, beginning in January.
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Another year to mend those fences if you can
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Classical Meets Metal in Algoma Man’s CD release
By day, Barry Kuzay is a mild-mannered engineer employed at Roen Salvage Co. in Sturgeon Bay. But in his free time at home in Algoma, where he lives with his wife and daughter, he enters his home recording studio and becomes neo-classical metal guitar shredder Barry Kuzay.
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Let’s be honest, iPads (and iPhones) are overwhelming – camera, email, and internet browser in one. Then there are the apps – hundreds of thousands of apps – for calculating finances, losing weight, enhancing photos, making music, creating art, playing games, and much more.
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Door County Representatives in the News
State Representative Garey Bies Bies introduced a bill that would require the state to appoint a team of investigators to prepare a report for each death involving a law enforcement officer, require law enforcement agencies to have written policies and create a five-member state board.
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Door County Municipal News Highlights
Hearing Planned for Sturgeon Bay CVS Pharmacy CVS Pharmacy, the largest pharmacy chain in the nation, is planning to open a store at a prime spot in Sturgeon Bay, 1407 Egg Harbor Road, the current home of the Neighborhood Pub and Grill.
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Kewaunee Residents Challenging Wisconsin Water Quality Code
Lynda Cochart hasn’t had a glass of her tap water in months. She doesn’t wash her vegetables in the water, doesn’t even brush her teeth with it, not since her well test showed unsafe levels of E.
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County Board Seats Up for Election in 2014
• According to Door County Clerk Jill Lau, three county board seats will be up for election on April 1 after three board members filed declarations of non-candidacy with her office.
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Washington Island Police Department Received Grant
• The Washington Island Police Department received a $4,000 equipment grant for participating in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (DOT) “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program.
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Door County Therapist Writes for Azerbaijani Magazine
The questions Susan McAninch, a retired therapist, answers in her column are pretty universal – How do I build a happy marriage? What level of friendship can I have with co-workers? How can I teach my child to behave? But McAninch’s columns aren’t for a typical American audience.
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All of the notable milestones in life, from birth to significant birthdays to engagements, weddings and deaths.
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Northern Door Broomball League
Results and schedule
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It was a cold day, with temperatures around 10 degrees, but the sun was shining for the Frostbite Open on New Year’s Day at the Red Putter Miniature Golf in Ephraim.
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Lucas Stephenson and Courtney Van Hout
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A 200-mile charity run – with nine separate 5k run/walk events at different cities along the “trail” – will honor a pair of spirited, strong and fearless boys from Door County.
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On Dec. 20, Tami Leist and John Brigham were promoted to first-degree black belt, after being tested at the YMCA in Fish Creek. Pictured: (front row, left to right) Theo Goode, Tami Leist, John Brigham and Shaun Koulias; (back row) Douglas Schroeder, Allura Witalison, Wyatt Hertwig and Brady Witalison.
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Registration is now open for the fifth Running Green for Crossroads trail event, scheduled for June 21, 2014. Come and celebrate the Summer Solstice as a solo participant or bring the whole family.
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Looking for a reason to get out and be active? Join Bay Shore Outfitters as it hosts seven free group hikes/snowshoes of all the trails in Newport State Park with a member of the Newport Wilderness Society beginning this month and running thorugh March.
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Standings and schedule for Monday night volleyball at the YMCA.
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Varsity athletic schedules from around the county.
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Article posted Tuesday, December 31, 2013 6:04pm
The importance of exercise in coping with depression was highlighted in a recent study. More than 1,300 adults with depression were randomized and placed in one of two groups.
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Article posted Tuesday, December 31, 2013 5:59pm
The Center for Neighborhood Technology published a report called The Case for Fixing the Leaks, describing the Great Lakes region’s water loss issue. The loss they studied comes from aging, leaky infrastructure that wastes water and money.
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Our friend Ryan Brady, all-star birder from Washburn, Bayfield County, Wis., has been keeping track of the start of a Snowy Owl irruption in our state and, as reported on Dec.
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Energy Challenges and Opportunities in Wisconsin
On Jan. 8 at 7 pm, the Climate Change Coalition will meet at Bjِrklunden for a presentation by Roy Thilly about energy challenges and opportunities in addressing climate change.
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Three County Parks Recognized by Friends Groups
Three Door County state parks were recognized in public voting in the 2013 Gold Seal Awards, sponsored by the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks. Categories for the Gold Seal Awards change each year based on topics nominated by the more than 80 friends groups around the state that are part of the umbrella organization.
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Exhibitor Registration Opens for Energy Fair
The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) announces the opening of Early Bird Exhibitor Registration for the 25th Annual Energy Fair, June 20-22, 2014.
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Article posted Tuesday, December 31, 2013 5:53pm
This four-year-old girl has seen some of Northeast Wisconsin in her travels. Found in 2009 along Sunny Point Road in the Town of Egg Harbor, she was brought into the shelter and named April.
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Kimberley House Receives Donation
(Left to right) Greg Ebel, vice president of the Tavern League of Door County, recently presented a donation of $250 to Paul Schuster, manager of Kimberly House, the Sturgeon Bay-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.
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Start the New Year by volunteering at The Ridges Sanctuary. On Jan. 3, 9 – 11 am, meet in the Upper Range Light kitchen to help label postcards; and on Jan.
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Project 180 Throws Teen Dance at YMCA
The Door County YMCA and Project 180 will host a Teen Dance on Jan. 4 from 7 – 10 pm at the YMCA in Sturgeon Bay. In addition to dancing, there will be food, a raffle and pool races.
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Blood Drives at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
Two blood drives are scheduled at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 108 W. Maple St., Sturgeon Bay. On Jan. 13 from 12 to 6 pm and Jan. 14 from 9 am to 3 pm people can donate blood.
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SBSI Begins Online Fundraising Campaign
Over the past three years, the Sturgeon Bay Skatepark Initiative (SBSI) has raised $360,000—90 percent of the funds needed to build a professionally designed park in Sturgeon Bay.
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Cadets Recognized at Civil Air Patrol Banquet
Door County Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol recently hosted its annual squadron awards banquet at the Draft Haus in Sturgeon Bay. Members and guests viewed a year-end slideshow, compiled by Capt.
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Northern Door Children’s Center Takes Bids for Roof Installation
Four local homes, a historic church, and Wisconsin’s largest private residence were the big draw for Northern Door Children’s Center (NDCC) Holiday Home Tour 2013.
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YMCA Receives Grant for Summer Food Program
On Dec. 17, the Green Bay Packers Foundation awarded $500,000 to 188 civic and charitable organizations throughout Wisconsin, including the Door County YMCA.
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When Susan Martinek walks around her family’s Door County property, she feels a connection to the ancestors who first landed on the peninsula in 1853.
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Credit Reporting Presentation at YMCA
Baylake Bank Premier Club, YMCA of Door County and Ministry Door County Medical Center are sponsoring “History of Credit Reporting” at the Door County YMCA in Sturgeon Bay on Jan.
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Jim Sarkis Joins NWTC Educational Foundation Board
Jim Sarkis of Egg Harbor, Sarkis & Associates Realtors, was selected as a member of the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) Educational Foundation.
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Postage Stamp Increase Beginning Jan. 27
The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), an independent federal agency that provides regulatory oversight of the U.S. Postal Service, announced a temporary three-cent increase on a first-class postage stamp to help offset annual losses ($5 billion in fiscal year 2013 and $15.
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Whoa! This is a ‘80s vision. Thirty years ago Lara BushPensy took to the cross country ski trails of The Rushes in Baileys Harbor. “My family owned timeshares there when they were first built,” she writes.
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Aging Refines This Big Bruiser of a Beer
What difference does a year make? Tons. I recently had the chance to sample two different years of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout, a 2012 and a 2013.
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Congratulations to Megan Lautenbach
The self-important egotists that we encounter Sometimes fill us with stress and strife. After further review there’s folks like Megan, Who find serving others a way of life.
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Overheards, Shout Outs and Pet Peeves
Are there tid-bits of conversations you’ve heard while standing in line at the grocery store, serving a table, or walking down the sidewalk that make you smile, cringe or laugh out loud?
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Article posted Tuesday, December 31, 2013 4:38pm
Dear Mary Pat, I’m in a bit of a bind – my mother-in-law gave me a check for $75 for Christmas “to buy snow boots you like.” She thinks my snow boots are out-of-date, which they are.
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Article posted Tuesday, December 31, 2013 4:34pm
Fill in the blank. Sturgeon Bay is home to ___________, American football’s “Father of the Forward Pass.”
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Crossroads Offers Ski/Snowshoe Loans
Crossroads at Big Creek will offer equipment loans Thursday through Sunday for the rest of the snowy season. Each Sunday if conditions are favorable, recreation equipment will be available from 1 – 3 pm.
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2014 PMF Subscriptions Now On Sale
The 2014 season of the Peninsula Music Festival is now available at musicfestival.com/newsite. Check out the great music that Maestro Yampolsky and the Festival Orchestra will bring back to the peninsula.
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Theatre Lab for Students at Third Avenue Playhouse
Beginning Jan. 22, StageKids offers a theatre lab for middle and high school students. For six weeks, students will meet twice a week on Wednesdays and Saturdays working with professionals from the Stage Door Theatre Company.
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Sign Up for the The Clearing’s Winter Classes
Register now for The Clearing Folk School’s winter classes. Join your neighbors snowshoeing, painting, woodworking, breadmaking, writing, or discussing some intriguing subjects.
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Quilting Bee at Baileys Harbor Town Hall
The Baileys Harbor Historical Society is putting on a weekly Quilting Bee in the Baileys Harbor Town Hall beginning Jan. 5. Enjoy goodies, gossip and good work as you create your own square or work on what others have started.
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Maritime Speaker Series Resumes with Local Shipwright
The Door County Maritime Museum’s Maritime Speaker Series continues Jan. 2 with a presentation by local shipwright Keith Kollberg. Well known on the Door Peninsula for his stunning boat restoration efforts, Kollberg will reflect on his business, Star Board Wooden Boatworks, as well as the restoration of an historic 16-foot rowing skiff currently on exhibit at the Sturgeon Bay museum.
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The New Year is a time for new beginnings! While it’s tempting to make big goals, like losing thirty pounds in thirty days or committing to seven-days-a-week of volunteer service, it’s essential to start small.
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The Best New Year’s Resolutions
Quit smoking. Lose weight. Enjoy life. Help others. These are four of the most common New Year’s resolutions, according to most everyone who surveys such things.
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Learn about Chief Oshkosh at Egg Harbor Town Hall
Lauren Bremer will present a program on Chief Roy Oshkosh at the Egg Harbor Town Hall on Jan. 26 at 2 pm. Bremer is an English teacher at Gibraltar High School and also serves as the varsity volleyball coach.
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Donna Winter Film Festival Kicks Off with “Jurassic Park”
The Donna Winter Film Festival kicks off with Jurassic Park on Jan. 4 at 7 pm. The festival is named after the former Donna Theatre (now the location of Third Avenue Playhouse).
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January 3 is the final day to submit artwork for entry into The Salon at Guenzel Gallery at Peninsula School of Art. In its twelfth year, the Salon welcomes artists of all abilities and genres to display their works for sale during the exhibition, Jan.
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Mixed Media and Sculptural Art at Meadows Gallery
As the Meadows Gallery grows, the Door County art community grows. For January, the gallery will feature the works of five artists, and the community is invited to the opening reception on Jan.
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Beyond Comfort: The Fine Art of Quilting
The Trillium Quilt Guild of Sister Bay will exhibit members’ works at the UU Gallery in Ephraim from January 12 to February 25.“Although we think of quilts as a means of staying warm during these cold winter months, the Beyond Comfort exhibition features approximately 15 quilts that ‘warm’ the imagination and provide aesthetic comfort more than physical comfort,” explains Trillium Exhibit chair Kaye Wagner.
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Open Studio Time at Artists Guild
Monthly winter youth art programs will be held at the Artists Guild on Saturdays from 10 – 11:30 am. These programs are intended for children ages 7 – 12; four sessions cost $40.
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2014 Fine Art Photography Workshops Announced
Suzanne Rose recently released her 2014 workshop schedule. There are a variety of workshops offered in various locations.
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Hats Off to Northern Door Firefighters
The outside temperature reading in Ephraim Fire Chief Niles Weborg’s car read two below zero when he rolled up to the Ephraim Inn at 7:09 am on Monday, but he wasn’t thinking about the cold.
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Moran Headlines January Dickinson Poetry Series
As a boy growing up in Green Bay, a trip to Door County was always something of a journey for poet Patrick Moran. Moran’s early memories embrace his father’s creative endeavors and “mermaids” spotted in the water near the public beach in Fish Creek.
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Spa at Sacred Ground Hosts Book Discussions
The Spa at Sacred Grounds will host a four-week study of Brené Brown’s inspirational book, Daring Greatly. Participants should purchase the book prior to the first session on Jan.
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Door County Idol Showcases Past Winners
Maren Larsen, the first winner of Door County Idol in 2005, is traveling from Boston, taking a week off of work at the Institute of International Urban Development (impressive!) to be a part of tonight’s show.
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County Snowmobile Trails Are Open
With a winter wonderland descending on us the past week, all Door County snowmobile trails are now open. The South-East Zone opened Dec. 20 and is reported in fair condition.
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PROJECT: ICE Tells the Tale of Climate Change on the Great Lakes
A documentary called PROJECT: ICE started out as a testament to the historical railcar ferries that shipped goods around the Great Lakes, but that focus didn’t last.
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Your Favorite, and Least Favorite, Holiday Traditions
There is a good chance you are partaking in a holiday tradition or two today and tomorrow – some you enjoy, some not particularly. More than 40 people participated in our recent survey about Christmas songs, movies and holiday traditions.
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Looking for a place to eat, drink and be merry this Christmas? Here is a list of businesses that informed us they are going to open.
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New Year’s Day Brunch Helps Humane Society
The Mink River Basin is preparing for the fifth annual New Year’s Day brunch to benefit the Door County Humane Society (DCHS). Brunch, served from 9 am – 12 pm, includes pancakes, meatballs, fruit, potatoes, and coffee.
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This year marks the first time since 2005 I haven’t spent Dec. 23 with my closest friends berating each other via sticky note around a tinfoil-covered support beam.
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Embracing My Packers Heritage, Pride & Obsession
Today, I’m donning green and gold, breaking out the beer and bars, camping out in front of SportsCenter until kickoff at 3:25 pm. I’ll listen to commentators ask and answer vague questions about their NFL predictions for the day, zone out when they replay Packers highlight reels, make snide comments about Tom Brady, Jay Culter and Tony Romo acting like divas.
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Dec. 23, 2013 Enrollment Required for Jan. 1, 2014 ACA Coverage
We started our series on health care exchanges under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) just a little more than two months ago. It seems like a lot longer! As virtually anyone who follows the news knows, what first seemed like technical glitches in the federal healthcare.
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Inge Bacon, Gay Pustaver and Dawn VandeVoort hope to be among the hundreds of New Year’s revelers gathered at Lakeside Beach Park in Jacksonport at noon on Jan.
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30,000 Chinook Allocated to Northern Door
While nothing is definite yet, it looks like the grassroots campaign by Gills Rock charter boat captains and friends to have Gills Rock included in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Chinook salmon stocking strategy might have worked.