News Bulletin: Oct. 9

A chimney fire breaks out at the Whistling Swan Inn and Restaurant. Photo by Jackson Parr.

WHAT HAPPENED

• Northern Door fire departments responded to three separate fires in the Town of Gibraltar on Saturday Oct. 3. Gibraltar firefighters responded to a rental unit on Highland Road after the building caught fire. A chimney fire at the Whistling Swan Inn and Restaurant forced evacuation during a wedding reception. The fire began around 8 pm and firefighters were immediately able to control it upon arriving, causing no damage to the building or its guests. Management at the Whistling Swan said they had the chimney professionally swept the week before the fire. Fire departments also responded to a chimney fire taking place at the Settlement Shops at 1 am the same night.

• The Sturgeon Bay Police Department has completed its 2015 Seatbelt High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) program, which is funded through a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Safety. During this year’s grant, Sturgeon Bay Police dedicated two officers to traffic enforcement. The deployments occurred between May 1 and Sept. 30. The traffic enforcement results were as follows: 289 traffic stops were made during 158 hours of deployments. 189 traffic citations were issued for: 140 seatbelt; 21 speeding; 5 OAR (operate after revocation) and OWS (operate while suspended); 1 open intoxicants; 2 vehicle registration; 20 Miscellaneous violations (i.e.: stop sign/no insurance). 145 traffic warnings were issued for: 100 speeding; 12 vehicle registration; 17 vehicle equipment; 16 miscellaneous violations; 2 non-traffic arrests from the stops (2 warrants). 

COMING UP

• The Wisconsin Department of Transportation will begin work next week on a three-week project that will build temporary connections in preparation for the spring 2016 roundabout project in Sturgeon Bay. There will be a temporary roadway built to route traffic from Hwy. 42/57 onto Old Highway Road, and temporary roadway to add a curve between Egg Harbor Road and Old Highway Road. This is being done to handle the traffic which will be detoured next year during the construction of the highway between Michigan Street and Egg Harbor Road, as well as maintenance work on the Bayview Bridge. The $145,000 project will be completed by the end of October. Peters Concrete, Green Bay is the prime contractor.

• The first airing of the Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship is scheduled for 1 pm Sunday, Oct. 11, on ESPN 2. The two-hour special opens with the journey leading up to the event, and the second hour focuses on Sturgeon Bay and the AOY tournament

• The Door County Public Health Department will offer cholesterol screening on Thursday, Oct. 29. Results will include total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, glucose and triglycerides. The screening is by appointment only, and the cost is $30. To schedule an appointment, call Marsha at 920.746.2255.

• During the fall harvest season, drivers may encounter slow-moving agricultural implements on rural roadways. “To safely share the road, drivers should slow down immediately whenever they see a florescent orange slow-moving vehicle emblem on the rear of a tractor or other piece of equipment,” says Wisconsin State Patrol Captain Anthony Burrell of the Northeast Region/Fond du Lac Post. “They also must be alert, focused and patient while trying to pass slow-moving vehicles. It’s important that drivers can clearly see what’s ahead of a slow-moving vehicle before they try to pass it.” Vehicles traveling slower than normal traffic must stay as far to the right-side of the roadway as practical. This does not mean slow vehicles must drive on the shoulder of the road, although this is allowed if there is room to do so safely. Captain Burrell adds, “Caution, courtesy and common sense will go a long way to keeping our rural roadways safe during the harvest season.”