January 8 – 22

• Dave Hutchison (R – Dyckesville) announced that he will run against Democrat Montgomery “Monk” Elmer for the state Senate seat being vacated by Alan Lasee, who is retiring after more than 30 years in the position.

Elmer, 50, is a Kimberly physician who has been running since August. Elmer is the Kimberly School Board President and served as an advisor the U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Cities Initiative in addition to several other boards and committees in the Fox Valley.

Hutchison, 66, is a former state representative originally elected to the state assembly’s 1st District in 1994. He served through 2000.

“The future of our state and our country are at a real crossroads right now,” Hutchison said. “When are they going to learn that we can’t tax our way into responsible government and we can’t spend our way back into prosperity? I’m running for Senate to bring common sense back to Madison.”

• The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not yet set a date and time for the contested case hearing regarding the Egg Harbor Marina and Peninsula Shores Condominium Association. The condo association requested the hearing because the final marina plans lengthened the marina’s floating docks by 20 feet and would result in docking encroaching on Peninsula Shores mooring field.

• The Sturgeon Bay City Council approved the borrowing of $42,000 from the State of Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands to re-roof the city Municipal Services building. By securing the funding now, the city locks in an interest rate of 4.5 percent with a payback period of 10 years. Additionally, the council approved the borrowing of $82,000 with an interest rate of 3.5 percent and a payback period of three years to use to: construct bumpouts on Third Avenue, change and add signage; raze the Glesner house (808 Egg Harbor Road); remodel the West Side fire station bathroom; install carpeting in the West Side fire station; rebuild ball fields and purchase a hose and defibrillator for the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department.

• The Door County League of Women Voters and the Door County 2010 Census Complete Count Committee have created a short video about this year’s census. The six-minute video shares basic yet important information about the upcoming census. See the video at http://www.doorbell.net/video/census2010.wmv or on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgXinQtmAHg.

• The United States Coast Guard is still working on determining what caused the tug Dauntless to sink just a few feet from shore by the Egg Harbor Marina Jan. 2. It took three days to resurface the tug, which was used by workers constructing the bin-wall of the marina. Lt. Jerry Butwid, Assistant Supervisor at the Marine Safety Detachment in Sturgeon Bay, said he hopes to wrap up the investigation quickly, perhaps as early as the week of Jan. 25th.