UPDATE: An overheight vehicle is to blame for Thursday's midday closure of the Michigan Street Bridge. The vehicle damaged the bridge's traffic signals, forcing the DOT to close the downtown artery from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The repairs the bridge received on Thursday were unrelated to the annual maintenance the Michigan Street Bridge will receive next week. The Michigan Street Bridge will be closed daily, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Monday, May 20, Tuesday, May 21, Wednesday, May 22, and Thursday, May 24 for its annual cleaning and planned maintenance. 

ORIGINAL STORY: You will not be able to use the Michigan Street Bridge for approximately three hours on Thursday due to some emergency electrical repairs being needed. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Regional Communications Director Mark Kantola issued the alert at 10:40 a.m. that the Michigan Street Bridge would close at 11 a.m. He is unsure exactly what happened, but the repairs are needed to fix damaged traffic signals. Kantola expects the repairs to take approximately three hours and be finished by early this afternoon. We will update this story as soon as it becomes available.

If you live in Kewaunee’s Fourth Aldermanic District and want to serve your community, the city still has an opportunity for you. Since the April election, the Kewaunee Common Council has been without one of its two members representing the Fourth Aldermanic District. No one officially ran for the seat this spring, and only five write-ins were collected during the April election. The council members were supposed to interview the candidates as a part of their meeting on Monday, but City Administrator Heath Eddy said there was no one to talk to about the role.

Kewaunee is not the only municipality in the county without a member of its governing body. The Village of Luxemburg is also asking for a letter of intent to fill an open seat on its Board of Trustees. We have information on the qualifications and how to apply for the open seats posted below.

You can expect to see plenty of Green and Gold mixed in with the colors of the leaves in Door County this fall. The Green Bay Packers announced their 2024 schedule on Wednesday, setting in motion the travel plans of thousands of fans across the country. The Packers will play five of their nine home games before November 4th, four of which are noon starts. Unlike some of the past years, two home games will coincide with the high tides of Door County’s fall season: Egg Harbor Pumpkin Patch and Sister Bay Fall Fest. Destination Door County’s Jon Jarosh believes the timing and the matchups are still favorable for NFL fans to add a trip up the peninsula as a part of their Packers travel plans.

Jarosh advises fans coming to the region for Packers games to book their lodging early, especially on weekends that coincide with Door County festivals. 

Thanks to a Door County Community Foundation grant, girls in your community will have more opportunities to learn invaluable skills and make lasting relationships. Thanks in part to the the Betty and Andy Lawrence Memorial Fund, the Ruth and Hartley Barker Memorial Fund, the Sharon L. Lutsey Charitable Trust, and the Thomas B. and Betty Jo “BJ” Cassidy Memorial Fund, the Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes received a $4,000 sustainability grant from the foundation to address the organization’s Girl Scout Financial Assistance Program. The donation will help girls join the organization regardless of financial barriers by helping cover the cost of program fees, uniforms, and experiences.

Chief Development Officer Kate Corey thanked the Door County Community Foundation for supporting the program, adding, "Together, we are building a community of changemakers, fostering a spirit of empathy, and uniting those committed to making a positive difference for one another and the world.” The Girl Scout of the Northwestern Great Lakes serves approximately 100,000 girls across 58 counties in Wisconsin and upper Michigan, including close to two dozen units in Door and Kewaunee counties.

For just a few hundred bucks, Sturgeon Bay resident Hans Christian believes you should have a better gauge of the air quality in Door County. Christian spoke in front of the Door County Public Health Committee on Monday, calling for the county to install an air monitoring station in Sturgeon Bay. Currently, the only air monitoring station in Door County that has been approved by the Environmental Protection Agency is located near Newport State Park in Ellison Bay. His remarks to the committee come just a few weeks after the American Lung Association gave Door County a failing grade for its air quality due to a high number of ozone days over a three-year period. The poor air quality is mostly associated with being downwind of bigger polluting cities like Milwaukee and Chicago. Christian’s concerns are centered on Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, which is monitored by the Department of Natural Resources and has air filtration systems installed in all its buildings. For $300-$400, Christian believes the county can make sure everyone is doing their part to ensure clean air for residents and visitors.

Christian says he was happy that the Door County Public Health Department was receptive to his thoughts and hopes they can work together well into the future.

You can expect more people to be on their bicycles in Door and Kewaunee counties as the weather warms up and summer approaches.  The Wisconsin State Patrol and local law enforcement want you to know the road rules regarding bikes and vehicles on the streets.  Bicycles are considered vehicles on the road and have the same rights and obey the same laws as drivers of cars and trucks.  Sturgeon Bay Assistant Police Chief Dan Brinkman says motorists should always slow down and be vigilant when driving near bikes of all sizes.

On average, bicycles are involved in over 700 crashes yearly in Wisconsin.  Last year, seven bicyclists were killed on roadways, and another 699 were hurt, according to data from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.  You can find safety tips and state laws about bicyclist and driver responsibilities below.

Driver responsibilities

If you see a bicyclist, slow down. The higher the vehicle speed, the higher the likelihood a bicyclist will be seriously injured or killed in the event of a crash.

Use caution. Bicycles have a smaller profile, so it is harder to judge their speed and distance.

Look twice for bicycles. Many crashes happen when drivers pull out from a stop sign, turn left or change lanes.

If parking along the street, always check the side mirrors and look back before opening doors. Opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist can cause them to lose balance or flip over.

State law prohibits motor vehicles from driving in a bicycle lane, except to enter a driveway, merge into a bicycle lane before turning at an intersection, or enter or leave a parking space located adjacent to the bicycle lane. Bicycles have the right-of-way.

State law requires drivers to stay at least three feet away from a bicycle.

Bicyclist responsibilities

Wear protective gear, including a helmet.

Obey all traffic laws, signs and signals.

Be aware of your surroundings. Check behind you, especially when changing lanes.  Keep an eye on vehicles when approaching intersections. Watch for opening car doors.

Be visible. Stay out of blind spots and use extra caution near larger vehicles like buses and trucks.

State law requires bicyclists to use signals when turning or stopping. Signals may be given by a lamp or hand and arm.

Make it easier for drivers to see you. Wearing reflective and bright clothing. State law requires lights and reflectors during hours of darkness. The back of a bicycle must have reflective tape or a steady or flashing red light, and a white light is required on the front.

Two scuba divers from Marinette are doing their best to environmentally clean up the waterways in Door and Kewaunee counties this week.  Ed “The Diver” Bieber and Jay “Silent J” Younk have an underwater recovery business but spend many volunteer hours traveling throughout the Midwest removing trash and items from the bottom of lakes and rivers.  On Monday, according to Bieber, the duo dived into the murky waters of the Algoma Harbor and Ahnapee River and pulled out metal, fishing line, hooks, lead weights, and even a toilet.

On Tuesday, the divers were able to find a lost cellphone in the Egg Harbor Marina and within an hour a relative of the girl who lost it saw the posting on social media. 

Younk says that they find the most items and trash near bridges.

Beiber has found some treasures in his underwater scavenging over the years, including a model 94 Winchester rifle wrapped in plastic and some stolen jewelry that was able to be returned to its rightful owner.  Having worked together for the past five years doing their part in keeping the areas’ waterways cleaner, Beiber and Younk will be in Sturgeon Bay at Bay View Park near the Michigan Street Bridge on Friday for their next cleanup adventure.

You can listen to the entire interview with Ed the Diver and Silent J below.

Put on your best pink dress and pink suit and hit the dance floor with your daughter as the father-daughter dance takes on the Barbie and Ken theme this year.  The annual event brings dads or father figures and daughters together in a heartwarming and formal way.  The Door County YMCA will present a Barbie’s theme Father-Daughter Dance on Saturday, June 15, at the Sturgeon Bay Program Center.  School Age Director Ashley Bagneski says the special evening gives dads and daughters a heartwarming connection they will always remember.

Bagneski notes that the Door County YMCA is looking for additional volunteers for the event, allowing the opportunity for moms to help while taking pictures during the night.  Registration will open soon at the YMCA with the $40 cost per couple and $10 for each additional child.   

(photo of 2022 Father-Daughter Dance courtesy of Door County YMCA)

Americans will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion next month, and you can honor the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers alongside a vessel that saw it all happen.

The Tug Ludington will be at the center of the City of Kewaunee’s D-Day Remembrance event on June 8th. The tug, known then as the “Major Wilbur Fr. Browder,” towed ammunition barges across the English Channel towards Normandy, France, where over 4,100 Allied troops were killed and more than 5,000 were wounded on D-Day.

After finishing its World War II duties, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers docked the tug in Kewaunee in between work at harbors around the Grea Lakes. The city purchased the Tug Ludington for $1 in 1995, an investment Tug Ludington Commitee member Jim Schaller says has been well worth the money.

The D-Day Remembrance event, which coincides with the Spring Door Peninsula Lighthouse Festival orchestrated by the Door County Maritime Museum, will also feature a laying of a wreath at the tug, military vehicle displays, and a ceremony featuring members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. The tug is open daily for tours until October 15th, though they will be suspended for about a month in mid-June for the reconstruction of the tug’s mooring bollards.

Gibraltar student Aidan Rice will be back in court next month after making his first appearance since he was arrested for the possession of a firearm at school in March.

Rice said then that a former student led to him bringing a gun to Gibraltar for multiple days until his arrest on March 15th. In his criminal complaint, Rice said he was scared of a former student who allegedly pounded on a bathroom door while he was at Wal-Mart a week prior. He added in the complaint that he knew it was illegal to bring the gun, but he had it to protect himself in case the former student showed up. School Resource Officer Heather Bemmann stated then that the unidentified student had not been on campus since last November.

Court records show that Rice received a letter of support last week. During his appearance on Monday, Attorney Shannon Viel advised Rice to waive the time limits for preliminary court questions, a waiver Rice did not understand.

The adjourned initial appearance is now scheduled for June 11th at 1:30 p.m.

Whoever you choose for the Eighth Congressional District in November will likely receive an extra two months on the job. Governor Tony Evers is calling for two special elections for the Eighth Congressional District (which includes Door and Kewaunee counties) and State Senate District 4 in Milwaukee County. The special election will coincide with those elections, with the winner finishing the remaining two months of the term.

The seat representing the Eighth Congressional District since Rep. Mike Gallagher announced he was leaving the post in April. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Gallagher has joined the Green Bay-based Titletown Tech as a senior strategic advisor. Gallagher’s departure was met with criticism from his colleagues and county GOP organizations because of the vacancy that was left behind. Since he announced his departure, Democrat Kristin Lyerly and Republicans Andre Jacque, Roger Roth, and Tony Wied have all started to court voters ahead of the August primary and the November general election.

Potential candidates have until June 1^st to file their nomination papers.

No matter when you visit Kewaunee, you will always be able to catch a sunset thanks to the hard work of some of its local high school students. Advanced art students from Kewaunee High School put the final touches on a mural on the side of Bob’s Auto Parts along Milwaukee Street in the city’s downtown. In addition to the sunset, you can find the Kewaunee Pierhead Lighthouse, a classic car, and two people. Art teacher Erin LaBonte is no stranger to murals, having completed several around the peninsula under the banner of her Algoma-based art space Yonder. She says it was a special experience for her to do this with her students, and she is thrilled that this will be something the community will enjoy for years.

Area businesses and organizations also contributed funding for the project. LaBonte hopes this will catch on in other parts of Kewaunee for future advanced art classes at the school.

Picture courtesy of Kewaunee School District

This year's musical production of Mary Poppins by Southern Door High School has garnered Northeastern Wisconsin recognition.  Musical Drama Director Mary Hall, three student cast members, and the ensemble received notable achievements.

Hall, a last-minute replacement for director last summer, has been recognized as one of the most "Influential Theater Educators" in the area by the Center State High School Musical Theater Program. In addition to Hall's nomination, Noah Ross received Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role as Bert and the Inspiration Through the Arts Scholarship. Lily Schmidt as Michael Banks and Molly Hall as Jane Banks are nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role.  

The full cast of Mary Poppins also received the Outstanding Ensemble award.

Consisting of 31 schools within Northeast Wisconsin, the Center Stage Program has an eight-year history of providing a platform to honor the students and educators who impact the performing arts through their dedication.  

The Center Stage program will be celebrated this Saturday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m., in a Tony Awards-style Showcase at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton.  

The firefighter in Kewaunee County you might see responding to a call in the not-to-distant future may be one of the three students who just finished the first year of the Kewaunee County Junior Firefighter Program.  The initiative is a partnership between the Luxemburg-Casco, Algoma, Denmark, and Kewaunee school districts and eight area fire departments.

Three Luxemburg-Casco students began coursework at NWTC last fall toward their Firefighter 1 certification.  Mathew Zellner, one of the students following the firefighter career pathway, completed his courses and is a Junior Firefighter with the Luxemburg Community Fire Department.   

Luxemburg-Casco School District Director of Learning Services Mike Snowberry says the program is an excellent way for students to explore a potential career in firefighting while gaining post-secondary credits and real-world experience.

Junior Firefighters, ages 16-19, are expected to respond to emergency calls and operate under the supervision of Senior Firefighters. Strict laws exist to protect minors from the most hazardous dangers.  

The Kewaunee County Junior Firefighter Program—which supports the fire departments of Algoma, Carlton, Casco, Denmark, Kewaunee, Luxemburg, New Franken, and Tisch Mills—was one of four Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) grant winners. The grant of $24,525 will be used to purchase full Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for students.

At next year’s Door County Fair, you will not have to worry about being caught in the rain while enjoying your favorite band, thanks to a grant awarded by Destination Door County last week. The County of Door received a grant totaling $92,850 to build a new open-air pavilion at John Miles County Park in Sturgeon Bay. Door County Administrator Ken Pabich estimates that a structure like this has been on the wish list for the Door County Fair for more than a decade. It would have been put to good use each of the last two years when fair officials had to scramble to find room to hold their main stage acts when rain otherwise would have canceled the performances. Pabich says the addition of the structure will also allow other events to take place without the fear of weather wrecking the day.

Pabich says the construction will begin after the Door County Fair takes place later this year. The grant was part of the over $202,000 awarded by Destination Door County last week through its Community Investment Fund. Other projects at least partially funded by the program include $80,000 for the Sturgeon Bay School District’s new ADA-accessible playground at Sunrise School, $22,500 to the Friends of Potawatomi State Park for an accessible kayak launch, and more than $7,000 to address parking lot lighting at Bjorklunden in Baileys Harbor.

Your time helping an area non-profit may be more important than you think, no matter how short it may be. According to the United States Census Bureau, less than a quarter of Americans 16 years of age and older said they formally volunteered with an organization between September 2020 and September 2021, corresponding with the height of the pandemic. That is a 30 percent drop from the last report in 2019, and the decrease in volunteering rates was consistent across several states and demographic groups. Many potential volunteers believe they need more time to dedicate to an organization to make a difference. United Way of Door County Director of Operations Kelly Hellmann says they are focusing on microvolunteerism, an idea of how potential volunteers can give back in little ways on their schedule. She adds that many people are shocked to learn how much impact they can have, even if they can donate just a couple of hours of time each month.

You will be able to hear about many of the available opportunities in the area when the United Way of Door County hosts its volunteer fair at the Door County Gala next Tuesday. The event will feature two sessions: 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The Wisconsin Association of Historic Preservation has recognized a local group's work in ensuring that you can enjoy the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower and the Teweles and Brandeis Grain Elevator for years to come.

Last month, the organization recognized the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation with the Historic Preservation Excellence Award, celebrating the group’s advocacy for “work that has a real and beneficial impact on the local community.” “Work of this sort creates a sense of place, an appreciation for the community’s roots, and is ultimately beneficial to the local economy,” said WAHPAC Board President Wm. Jason Flatt. Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation President Laurel Hauser said last week that their growing work was a big reason why they recently hired Michael Telzrow as its first full-time Executive Director earlier this month.

The Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation hopes the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will complete the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower repairs this summer so it can reopen next spring. The organization is also planning a soft opening of the Door County Granary in September ahead of its grand opening in 2025.

Photo credit: Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation

State preservation professionals joined staff, board members, and supporters of the
Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation at the presentation of the Wisconsin Association of Historic Preservation Commissions 2024 Historic Preservation Excellence Awards in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. Pictured back row, left to right: Nicole Matson, Paul Anschutz, Michael Telzrow, Beth Renstrom, Daina Penkiunas, Matt Young, Andrew Stern. Front row: Laurel Hauser, Nancy Goldberg, Christie Weber, Kelly Catarozoli, Chesla Anschutz

You can blame Canadian wildfires for some of the haze and smoke in the area this morning. Most of the state, including Door and Kewaunee counties, is in an air quality alert until 10 a.m. on Monday. According to the National Weather Service, the air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups to Unhealthy PM2.5 Air Quality Index categories. The smoke will continue moving from northwest to southeast behind a cold front, likely impacting the entire state later in the day. Since the air quality could be unhealthy, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion while everybody else should reduce it.

The search for the next superintendent at Sevastopol School District is officially underway.

The district recently wrapped up the survey portion after hosting a pair of community input sessions at the end of April. After the application deadline passes on May 15th, the district’s search committee will meet on May 20th to sort through the applicants and begin scheduling the first round of interviews on May 23rd and May 28th. Sevastopol School Board President Lisa Bieri says there weren't many surprises in the survey, but the community gave them many things to consider as they look for the right person to replace outgoing superintendent Kyle Luedtke.

Once hired, the new superintendent will take over the role on July 1st. Luedtke resigned from the position in April after accepting the same role at Frederic School District. In other superintendent hiring news, Luxemburg-Casco School District will learn if they need to go through a similar process on May 13th when its superintendent, Jo-Ellen Fairbanks-Schutz, learns if she has been hired for the same position at Wisconsin Rapids School District.

You will find even more construction barrels in bloom on State Highway 42 beginning on Monday. Last week, Governor Evers signed a $2.3 million contract to improve seven miles of WIS 42 from Rainbow Ridge Court in Egg Harbor to Bluff Lane in Gibraltar. The project includes milling down the current asphaltic lanes overlaying with new asphalt, installing centerline and shoulder rumble strips, upgrading the guardrail, adding gravel to existing shoulders, and marking the pavement. The project will have single-lane closures via flagging operations for both local and through traffic. However, you can use the detour routes for the other projects involving State Highway 42 south of Rainbow Ridge Court, including downtown Egg Harbor. This portion of the State Highway 42 project is expected to be completed in June. You can find other State Highway 42 construction updates, including one from the Egg Harbor Business Association, below:

A yearly tradition in June in Luxemburg that brings families and friends together will benefit an inclusive playground project being built at Bruemmer Park near Kewaunee.  The Luxemburg Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the 16th annual Dairy Days Dash, a 5K Run/Walk that will kick off June Dairy Month and raise money for the new playground.  

The race will be held at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 1st, at Luxemburg Village Hall on Main Street in Luxemburg.   Dairy Days Dash Committee member Reuben Nimmer says the community always steps up and steps out to make the event a success every year.

Participants run the course through the village before being greeted at the finish line back at the Village Hall. The event is capped off with the traditional scoop of ice cream and other dairy treats from the Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion for all runners and walkers.  You can register online here or in person on the morning of the event beginning at 6:30 a.m.

When you check the Events Calendar on the Crossroads at Big Creek website  (and we hope you do frequently), it looks like things are slowing down at Crossro ds. Looks can be deceiving! Our restoration efforts have ramped up into the planting phase.  And it really seems l "  “Every Day IS Earth Day.” thanks to a full schedule of field trips and Earth Day events for students ranging from kindergarten to college level, plus we are hosting a number of private events as well.

But scheduling public interpretive programs is almost as daunting as assembling the May field trip jigsaw puzzle. Spring is glorious but unpredictable! When will the warblers be dripping from the trees? When will the spring ephemerals bloom in the woods? How long before the woodcocks stop dancing and the frogs stop their nightly choruses? Even in a normal weather year—2024 certainly has not been—it's hard to predict.

The word used to describe our woodland ponds and spring wildflowers---ephemerals—means "lasting for a very short period of time." But when will that very short period be for each species?

When talking about woodland ponds, we hope they don't dry up until the tadpoles go through metamorphosis. 

Woodland wildflowers must bloom, be pollinated, and set seed, and their foliage must collect energy during the very short period between thaw and the day when unfurling tree leaves thrust the plants into shade.

Complicating predictions, wildflowers have evolved to stagger their blooming dates so different floral species do not have to compete for pollinators (and consequently, pollinators have a constant supply of nectar and poll n). Also, very brief blooming periods can become even shorter if driving rain or winds strip the petals from the flowers.

Weather strongly influences the time migrating birds will use Door County for their midflight stop over. If wind direction and weather conditions are favorable, birds might rest and feed for a very short time or fly right over us. Bad weather may ground the migrating birds for a week, sometimes even more.

Watch our website—or follow Crossroads at Big Creek on Facebook for Pop-Up Events—which will be published a day or so before the outings---- to learn the topics, times, and meeting locations.

The State Bee Inspector is coming! The inspector is from the Department of Trade, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection. That sounds ominous to us. You might expect the Door County Beekeepers to tremble in their Wellington boots, but the beekeeper's LOVE State Bee Inspector Donna Stine is remarkably helpful.  

On Tuesday, May 21, Donna will conduct a Hive Dive at the Crossroads Apiary at 5:30 p.m. (bee suits are recommended), followed by a lecture on "What to Look for When Inspecting Your Hive" at their 6:30 p.m. monthly meeting.

Saturday, May 11, 6:30 AM Global Big Day Bird Hike Crossroads invites learners of all ages to participate in birding's largest community science team by participating in the Global Big Day. Bring binoculars if you have them, and it will be helpful if you have the MERLIN APP loaded on your cell phone.  We plan to be out for about two hours and will report our bird observations using eB Rd. Meet by the new interpretive signs by The Cove Estuary Parking Lot, 817 S. 18th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, May 21 

5:30 pm Hive Dive with the Bee Inspec or. (wear your bee suit)

6:30 pm Door County Beekeepers May Meeting  

State Bee Inspector Donna Stiles will give her presentation on “"hat to Look For When Inspecting Your Hive.” Also, report on the status of Wisconsin beehives for 2023-2 24. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Sevastopol senior Ezra Linnan continues to pile up recognitions before his June graduation.

Earlier this week, Linnan was named one of 161 students nationwide to be named U.S. Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. Linnan and Anica Tipkemper-Wolfe of Cedarburg Senior High School were one of two Wisconsinites to be named to the exclusive list.

“Anica and Ezra are shining examples of the possibilities when passion meets perseverance,” State Superintendent Dr. Jill Underly said. “Their hard work and creativity have demonstrated how opportunities in the arts and career and technical education help our students be well-rounded, future-ready leaders. I applaud them for their success and am so proud to call them U.S. Presidential Scholars.” 

Linnan was named valedictorian in February after posting a perfect score on his ACT during his junior year. He is also the president of Sevastopol’s National Honor Society and excelling at the school both musically and athletically. Between the end of his senior year and the beginning of his collegiate career, Linnan will represent the United States in the World Underwater Hockey Championships in Malaysia this summer.

Rio Creek Feed Mill agronomist Adam Barta encourages you to be patient and stay consistent with your plans when planting crops in your fields. According to Wisconsin’s United States Department of Agriculture Crop Progress and Condition Report, farmers across the state had about 3.2 suitable days for fieldwork last week, down a day from the week before. The planting of corn (22 percent complete), soybeans (22 percent complete), and oats (54 percent complete) is still about a week ahead of last year’s pace and one to five days ahead of the average. The forecast may force that gap to shrink with at least a 50 percent chance of rain for Sunday, Thursday, Friday, and next Saturday. Barta says it will depend on the field on whether or not farmers will be able to get out to plant this year’s crops successfully.

Barta adds that farmers should not have to think about changing strategies until the calendar turns to June. At that point, he says farmers may have to change seeds or deal with a higher moisture content because of the later planting. According to the report, the winter wheat condition was rated 86 percent good to excellent, and the first all hay condition of the year was rated 74 good to excellent statewide.

The man responsible for the fire at Butch’s Bar in Sturgeon Bay that resulted in the deaths of two people was sentenced Friday to 15 years of prison.  Anthony Gonzalez, 60, was convicted of two counts of reckless homicide during his seven-day trial in January.
. 

Victor Jurss and Gary Heise were killed in the fire that Gonzalez inadvertently started in his apartment room above the bar when he ignited butane lighter fluid that he spilled on his bed. In the criminal complaint, he said, “It was too hot for me to stay in the room. I started pounding on the doors to get people out”.  

Judge D. Todd Ehlers also ordered Gonzalez to undergo 15 years of extended supervision and pay $5,607.38 in restitution. 

You will see a reimagined Native American settlement in the future, thanks to the input of local tribes. For years, Whitefish Dunes State Park featured replica wigwam structures and prehistoric tools to showcase what life would have been like for Native Americans living along the Lake Michigan shoreline. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, several native tribes, including the Potawatomi and the Oneota, called the land now known as Whitefish Dunes State Park home. Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park President John Swanson says recently, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation visited the park and cited some of the inaccuracies in their tribute to Native Americans. Swanson says that dialogue started a process that will now see the Friends group start from scratch and ensure the new replica settlement is historically accurate.

Swanson, much of the funding for the improvements comes from grants received from Destination Door County. He hopes to have a conceptual drawing of the site by mid-summer.

Picture courtesy of Destination Door County

You will see residents and visitors enjoy the outdoors even more thanks to four grants awarded by Destination Door County on Friday. The tourism organization announced $202,300 in grant money for four different projects as a part of its Community Investment Fund. The biggest award was $92,850 for a new open-air park pavilion at John Miles County Park in Sturgeon Bay to provide additional space for music performances, community gatherings, and more to take place rain or shine. The Sturgeon Bay School District received approximately $80,000 for a new ADA-accessible playground at Sunrise School so children of all abilities can play together. Improving accessibility outdoors was also a factor in a $22,500 grant awarded to the Friends of Potawatomi State Park for accessible kayak launch for silent sports enthusiasts. Bjorklunden in Baileys Harbor also received a grant of nearly $7,000 to address the lighting around its parking lot for the campus’ main lodge. Since its creation in May 2023, Destination Door County’s Community Investment Fund has funded 24 projects to over $1.4 million.  “This program provides us with a way to invest in community projects that will positively impact our residents, as well as visitors, and allows us to form partnerships within the community we’ve not had before,” said Destination Door County President and CEO Julie Gilbert. The next application deadline for the Community Investment Grants is June 24th.

An event usually reserved for aspiring college athletes was instead used to highlight the commitment of three Luxemburg-Casco students after their high school days are over. The school district celebrated National Youth Apprenticeship Signing Day with Caleb Delebreau, Max Ronsman, and Tanner Veeser all bridging the gap between youth apprentice and registered apprentice. Ronsman and Veeser work in plumbing at Tweet/Garot, a Green Bay-based mechanical contracting firm. The trio’s supervisors gave them ringing endorsements on their signing day, applauding their work ethic and their eagerness to learn. The signing day was a part of the larger National Youth Apprenticeship Week, which runs through May 11th. Luxemburg-Casco School District leads the state in youth apprenticeship activity, with 58 percent of its students participating in the program. Director of Learning Services Mike Snowberry says they have been active, ensuring that students do not just go down a path, but the right one for them.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the number of active youth apprentices has increased 118 percent over the last decade.

You can exchange those FoodShare dollars again this year at two farmer’s markets this summer in Door County. The United Way of Door County will be at the Sturgeon Bay Farmer’s Market on Saturdays for the fourth consecutive summer while it debuted at the Baileys Harbor Farmer’s Market on Sundays. For the past two years, the United Way of Door County had run its program at Jacksonport, but low swiping rates at the Tuesday market led to a change. United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle says they are searching for volunteers to help facilitate the programs, which help residents on multiple fronts.

Last year, the program saw over $2,000 in FoodShare dollars redeemed for tokens. The Sturgeon Bay Farmer’s Market begins on June 1st, and the Baileys Harbor Farmer’s Market begins on May 19th.

The Southern Door High School’s Forensics Team was one of just 14 schools in the state to be recognized for the Excellence in Speech Award at the Wisconsin State Speech Festival held last month.  The competition was held at DeForest Area High School by the Wisconsin Interscholastic Speech & Dramatic Arts Association (WISDAA) and included about 10,000 students and 500 schools in the state.  Southern Door High School Principal Steve Bousley says their Forensics Team and coach JamieLynn Teska, did an outstanding job representing the school at state, and the program continues to grow. 

Judges ranked each student or performing group to determine medal awards, with the top five percent of medal-earning schools being recognized with the Excellence in Speech distinction.  Southern Door qualified for the state competition after two district rounds in February and March. 

Destination Door County released its 2034 Stewardship Plan last month, and now it needs your help to execute it. During the process, Destination Door County identified four key goals of the plan: support environmental sustainability, develop and enhance experiences, improve infrastructure, and champion community stewardship. Destination Door County President and CEO Julie Gilbert says the goals outlined in the plan are all equally important and intertwined, acknowledging the work that area organizations have done to address some of the topics like affordable housing, workforce development, child care availability, and more. Gilbert adds that even though this is a ten-year plan, Destination Door County is already doing things to accomplish the stewardship plan's goals.

You can learn more about the stewardship plan, including the presentation video, by clicking this link. Gilbert encourages residents to reach out to learn how to help achieve the group’s goals and make Door County an even better place to live, work, and play.

Kewaunee resident Kiley Pagel hopes you might consider following in her footsteps as a top candidate for Alice in Dairyland. Pagel was one of the six top candidates vying for the role of Alice in Dairyland. This year-long reign involves traveling the state promoting different aspects of Wisconsin agriculture. Three months after being announced as a top candidate and after three days of finals-related competition in Door County, Oconomowoc’s Halei Heinzel was crowned Alice in Dairyland last Saturday night. Despite not being selected, Pagel says it was an opportunity of a lifetime where she learned so much and met many people.

Pagel is not ruling out a second bid at becoming Alice in Dairyland, but she says she has plenty to keep her busy until she decides to apply. She is currently the marketing advisor for Pagel Family Businesses and is graduating from UW-Green Bay this Saturday with a degree in business administration. 

You should see one of Door County Emergency Services’ biggest needs finally addressed this fall when a budget request for a Mid-Door ambulance station is finally addressed. Door County Emergency Services Director Aaron LeClair says a site in the middle of the county that cuts down on response has been on the wishlist for nearly a decade, with timing being the biggest culprit. When call volume in the City of Sturgeon Bay grew, the Door County EMS and the Door County Aging and Disability Resource Center teamed up on a plan to refurbish an old highway shop into a new facility for both departments. A partnership with the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department and pursuing a new home on Washington Island also came about much sooner than Door County Emergency Services had initially thought. LeClair says timing is on their side now, and he is happy municipalities want to partner with them.

LeClair hopes to have more clarity on where a new Mid-Door ambulance site will be ahead of the budget season this fall. Jacksonport has indicated they would like to partner with the county on the site. The Joint Village and Town of Egg Harbor Board approved a letter of support to Door County Emergency Services to consider an additional EMS station connected to or located near their fire station on Harbor School Road.

You will be able to find the Door County Bookmobile, which will make its first scheduled stop in decades this weekend at Write on, Door County’s Mothers and Others Day at its campus in Fish Creek. Just under two months ago, the bookmobile took its first spin around the county since the vehicle was retired in 1989. Days after that maiden voyage for the refurbished vehicle, Door County Bookmobile President John Sawyer said he was excited about what is in store for its future.

The Door County Bookmobile will waste no time bringing books to kids this spring. In addition to volunteers reading books to kids inside the Bookmobile, the first 50 kids at Saturday’s event will receive a copy of Susan Straub’s “Gaga Mistake Day.” Write On Door County’s Mothers and Others Day runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Door County Bookmobile is also looking for volunteers to prepare the bus for trips, be historical docents, and drive the vehicle to events. 

By the time May 22nd rolls around, six Luxemburg-Casco students will have already had the thrill of being handed a diploma. Those seven students will be the first UW-Green Bay’s Rising Phoenix program graduates since Kewaunee County’s three high schools signed on to participate last year. Over 100 students in the state, including those from Marinette, Manitowoc, Green Bay, Mishicot, and Two Rivers, will graduate from UW-Green Bay with Associate’s degrees, allowing them to enter the next phase of their academic life as third-year students.  Luxemburg-Casco students Bowie Bredael, Aleece Jandrain, James Nimmer, Chris VanderWielen, Savannah Bailey, and Morgan Westlund will be among them. As they took their high school classes, students enrolled in the Rising Phoenix program took college-level courses, earning approximately 60 credits towards their Bachelor’s degree. Luxemburg-Casco School District Director of Learning Services Mike Snowberry says it will allow those students to enter their program areas sooner at a substantial savings.

Even with students having to pay for approximately two-thirds of the credits opposed to the free ride the Class of 2024 received thanks to a grant, Snowberry says the Class of 2025 from Luxemburg-Casco more than doubled to 17 students. The Rising Phoenix celebration for the students will take place on May 10th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the UW-Green Bay- Manitowoc campus before they participate in the spring commencement ceremony at the Kress Events Center on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

The district also celebrates its youth apprentices at a signing day special ceremony on Thursday. Caleb Delebreau (Sheet Metal Fabricating), Max Ronsman (Plumbing), and Tanner Veeser (Plumbing) will continue their apprentice work at Tweet/Garot in Green Bay after going through NEWYA the past year.

That old microwave or computer collecting dust in your garage or basement can be disposed of properly at no cost if you act quickly.  You can help protect the water, land, and air when the Village of Sister Bay and the Town of Liberty Grove host a prescription drug drop-off and a recycling event this Saturday, May 11.  Residents are encouraged to bring appliances and electronics to be recycled and any papers they want to be shredded.  Village Administrative Assistant Janal Suppanz says due to the overwhelming response in the past, only Sister Bay and Liberty Grove residents may bring documents to be shredded and recycled.

Door County Sheriff’s Department members will also be on hand to take care of prescription drug drop-off and disposal.  You can bring outdated prescriptions and over-the-counter medications on Saturday as part of the event, which will be held from 9 a.m. until noon at the Village of Sister Bay Sports Park.  You can find more details here.

In Kewaunee County, Algoma Utilities is hosting an Electronics Recycling Event this Thursday, May 9 from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. at 1407 Flora Avenue in Algoma.  On Wednesday, May 22, an Electronics Recycling Event will be hosted at St. Louis Church in Dyckesville from 1:00 until 5:00 p.m.  

Starting on Thursday, you will have to take a slight detour off Highway 54 when you travel into Algoma. The City is working on the infrastructure replacement on Frank Avenue this week, and a portion of the roadway and Jefferson Street (Hwy 54) will be closed for a week.

Algoma City Administrator Matt Murphy says the infrastructure construction of water, sewer, and storm sewer on Division Street is just about wrapped up, with the focus now turning to three blocks of Frank Avenue.  He says drivers will have to deal with a complete closure of Jefferson Street at the Frank Avenue intersection starting Thursday, with a detour off of Sunset Avenue to Fremont and back to Fourth Street.

The closure is expected to be from 7 a.m. Thursday until late afternoon on Friday, May 17.  After the Frank Avenue infrastructure work is done, Murphy expects the road-building crews to finish the project by the first week of June when paving and concrete work is completed. 

You can participate in one of Door County’s most popular spring events as the Door County YMCA’s annual Blossom Run returns to Egg Harbor this Saturday. Healthy Living Coordinator Sarah Gavin says the family-friendly event has already registered 230 runners for the five-mile run/walk, a record for the Blossom Run in its 30-year history. A two-mile run/walk and a one-mile youth run are also slated for Saturday morning. 

 The 2024 Blossom Run starts at Dock Park in Egg Harbor, with race day registration from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Following the runs at about 10:15 a.m., awards will be given to eight age groups in both male and female categories. More information on the event sponsored by Door County Medical Center and Ross Liebmann Legal Group is available here. 

An 18-year-old Two Rivers man was sent to the hospital after his car rear-ended a stopped school bus in the town of Carlton in Kewaunee County.   According to the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, a little after 3 p.m. Tuesday a Kewaunee School District bus with about 30 students aboard was stopped at a residence on Highway 42  South of Townline Road in the township of Carlton.  A 2009 Chevrolet Impala driven by the 18-year-old was traveling Southbound on the highway and ran into the back of the school bus.  The teen driver was injured and transported to the hospital, while the occupants of the school bus only reported minor injuries, and none required medical treatment.  The accident is still under investigation by Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department with the help of Wisconsin State Patrol.  Highway 42 was closed for about three hours after the accident.  Kewaunee Rescue, Carlton Fire, Carlton first responders, Kewaunee County Highway Department, State Patrol, and Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department all responded to the scene.

The key concerns over natural water quality and aquatic weed control in the channel were addressed at the Sturgeon Bay Common Council on Tuesday night.

After a 30-minute presentation on the 2024 Aquatic Management Plan by Onterra, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council unanimously approved the plan that was recommended by the Joint Parks & Recreation Committee

Before the vote, Onterra Aquatics Ecologist Tim Hoyman told the council that the plant biomass had slightly decreased from 2016 to 2023 while the plant population in the waters of Sturgeon Bay is in relatively good health. He noted that the management of plants in Sturgeon Bay is done so boaters and users have reasonable access to the waters of the bay.  Only three percent of the bay is currently being managed with the harvesting of plant fragments.   The aquatics management plan includes about 125 acres of harvesting again but with a new second herbicide treatment in late July or early August with the assurance of best management practices.  You can read the complete 2024 Aquatics Management Plan here. 

In other council business, Mayor David Ward’s appointments of committee chairs and vice-chairs were approved.

The first reading of an ordinance for property located at 148 North 8th Place would allow rezoning from (R1) to (R-2) so the lot can be split to allow the building of another home on the second lot.

The other first reading that passed was a repeal of an ordinance for portable fueling of watercraft to make it safer for all concerned by prohibiting transporting fuel in containers that are not federally approved.

An Urban Area Boundary Adjustment for the City of Sturgeon Bay in the southwest portion of the city to include an area on South Duluth Avenue was approved. 

Three retiring city employees were honored before the meeting by Mayor Ward.

Your drive through Door County is becoming more beautiful by the day, thanks to the area’s cherry trees. Southern Door County is getting the floral show a few days earlier than trees in Northern Door County. The cherry blossoms are appearing earlier than usual in Door County, which usually peaks in mid-May. Toni Sorenson from Soren’s Vahalla Orchards says that she is confident it will be another great crop of cherries this year based on the blossoms.

Cherry blossoms are usually visible for about two weeks after they bloom before they disappear. Sorenson says not to worry if you cannot make it up to Door County to catch the cherry blossoms, as the apple blossoms will not be far behind. She adds that cherry blossoms are a sign that you are about 60 days out from enjoying fresh fruit off the trees. 

 

 

 

 

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Large investments in the county's operations are still in the future, but Kewaunee County Board Chairperson Dan Olson hopes you see progress on its highway shop in Footbridge and the jail in Kewaunee in the near future.

About a year ago, a Milwaukee-based design firm identified about 20 deficiencies with the highway shop that dates back decades, including roof, plumbing, sewer, septic systems, poor ventilation, and bad insulation. Board members toured a former Wisconsin Public Service facility as a possibility for a new highway shop. Olson says that at the advisement of its new Highway Commissioner Marty Treml, they will look at rehabbing the old building first before exploring ways to make additions.

As for the jail, the board is looking to hire an owner’s representative for the county. The owner’s representative will act on the county’s interests regarding the projects, starting with the Request for Proposal (RFP) and concluding with the jail’s construction. Olson believes the owner’s representative will make the process more efficient from the county’s point of view.

No strict timetables have been set, but Olson says they would like the owner’s representative in place before releasing a new RFP for the jail. He also comments that Treml will likely want to jump on the to-do list with the highway shop improvements when he officially leaves the military for the position in June.

The Centers for Disease Control is warning you of a new variant of COVID-19 that could test your immunity.

The agency announced that the variant KP.2, also known as FLiRT, has become the most dominant of the 18 variants tracked by the CDC’s wastewater surveillance data, accounting for nearly 25 percent of all of the cases. According to WebMD, Yale School of Public Health Dean Megan L. Ranney, MD, says the changes in the virus itself, the lower vaccination rate, and the lower efficacy of the current booster may make it a higher likelihood that you can get re-infected with the new COVID-19 variant. If it is right for you, the CDC recommends you stay up to date on your vaccinations, especially if you are above the age of 65 or immunocompromised. The symptoms of the FLiRT variant are similar to past strains of COVID-19, including fever, cough, sore throat, congestion, headache, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and brain fog. 

Earlier this year, the CDC updated its guidelines surrounding COVID-19, saying you no longer have to isolate for five days after a positive test. The new rules, which include staying at home if you are sick, practicing good hygiene, and improving air quality, fall in line with what is suggested for people dealing with other respiratory illnesses.

A show that premiered at Third Avenue PlayWorks in Sturgeon Bay last May received national recognition this past weekend.  The play “I Carry Your Heart With Me,” written by Jennifer Blackmer, was one of four plays nationally to be the recipient of a Harold and Mimi Steinberg/ATCA New Play Citation.  Jackie and Steve Kane, Artistic Director at Third Avenue PlayWorks Jacob Janssen, who traveled to Costa Mesa, California for the awards show and celebration, says they feel fortunate and honored to be part of one of the best plays showcased nationally last year.  He notes that Blackmer is an incredibly talented and generous playwright and that three of the four theaters honored at the New Play Citation were from Wisconsin.

The Steinberg/ATCA awards recognize playwrights who produce the best scripts that premiered professionally outside New York City in 2023.  Third Avenue PlayWorks opened the 2024 season in May with “Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson-APT. 2B” by Kate Hamill, which will run until May 19th. 

After putting so much focus on the city’s past, the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation is looking ahead to the future with the hire of its first full-time executive director. SBHSF President Laurel Hauser announced Monday that Michael Telzrow would be the organization’s leader. Managing non-profits with a historical bent is nothing new for Telzrow, who has had previous stints at Heritage Hill State Historical Park in Green Bay, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison, and the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. He also served other roles for the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in Georgia and Green Bay’s Neville Public Museum. Hauser says it is exciting for them to bring someone like Telzrow to help guide them into the future after so many years of focus on saving the Teweles and Brandeis grain elevator and the Potawatomi State Park observation tower.

Saving two of the city’s landmarks is part of the reason why Telzrow is excited to join the SBHSF as its executive director. “As the new director, I look forward to enhancing the Granary’s civic value through meaningful exhibits and public programs, while also advancing the Foundation’s operational capacity and core mission,” said Telzrow. He will join Door County Granary project manager Nicole Matson to help get the facility opened by early 2025.

Where you check out books to read will soon be where you can find a job. The Algoma Public Library will host a ribbon cutting next week when its JobPod site opens to the public for the first time. JobPod is a collaboration between the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, Brown County Library, Nicolet Federated Library System (which includes Door County, Algoma, and Kewaunee’s libraries), and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Hosting the site will be nothing new for the Algoma Public Library, which has long helped its patrons access job search resources, connect with workforce development experts, and participate in online employee training. Library Director Cathy Kohlbeck says helping provide even more resources to community members looking for jobs is important.

When the Algoma Public Library hosts its public ribbon-cutting event on May 15th at 1 p.m., it will become the second of three pilot libraries. The Brown County Library opened its JobPod location in March at its east side campus, while the Marinette County Public Library will soon open its at its Niagara branch.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council meeting will take on a nautical theme when the governing body meets on Tuesday.

After reading a Safe Boating Week proclamation, the council will hear a presentation from Onterra, LLC about the 2024 aquatic management plan. The nearly 50-page document submitted by Onterra shows not just the progress that has been made but what can still be done, as it cited several different kinds of aquatic plants that are found in Sturgeon Bay waterways, such as wild celery, coontail, clasping-leaf pondweed, muskgrasses, and more. The aquatic management plan was approved by the city’s Joint Parks and Recreation Committee/Board meeting on April 24th. Some discussions on the topic focused on how the cut waterweeds are picked up and where they are disposed of once removed from the water.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will also weigh in on an ordinance aimed at how boaters safely refuel their vessels while out on the water. The ordinance revision focuses on the types of containers that can be used and the procedures that must be followed when doing portable fueling. The ordinance also covers areas where portable fueling is now allowed.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will meet on Tuesday at 6 p.m. inside its chambers at city hall.

Door and Kewaunee counties have long been known for their cheese production, but you can also find some of the best meat in those locations. The Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors recently announced the winners of its Specialty Meat Championships, placing the top five entries in 38 different categories. Forty-four total plants, including Luxemburg’s Salmon’s Meat Products and Paulie’s Chop Shop, competed in the contest, submitting 879 entries. Both businesses earned a reserve grand champion award for their respective hams, while Salmon’s Meat Products earned a grand champion award for its Belgian Trippe in the specialty bratwurst category. You can find all of the awards here and see where the local entries are stacked up below.

Salmon’s Meat Products

• Flavored Summer Sausage: Jalapeno and Cheddar Honorable Mention
• Ham-Boneless (Traditional): Reserve Grand Champion
• Frankfurters/Wieners- Natural Casing: Honorable Mention
• Bratwurst- Specialty (Cooked and Uncured): Belgian Trippe- Pork Sausage and Cooked Cabbage Grand Champion

Paulie’s Chop Shop

• Ham- Bone-In: Reserve Grand Champion

Students at Southern Door School District woke up to an unexpected three-day weekend after the district canceled classes for Monday.

Interim Superintendent Tony Klaubauf made the call at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Monday, pointing to electrical problems as the reason. As a result, the district lost fire alarm capabilities in addition to other issues.

Classes will likely resume on Tuesday. 

Your next CT scan at Door County Medical Center could be done with state-of-the-art technology after the hospital acquired the new Canon Aquilion Serve SP CT Scanner.

Introduced by the company last November, the Canon Aquilion Serve SP CT Scanner boasts several significant improvements aimed at getting clearer images for diagnoses and improving the patient experience. Door County Medical Center Diagnostic Imaging Manager Tonya Altmann says the artificial intelligence used by the machine will help lead to a more streamlined operation of the scanner, helping to move the patient easily and reduce the amount of exposure to the radiation used.

Altmann adds that it was important for her to have equipment like this in Door County to serve the community better. This scanner represents the first of its kind to be installed in the region.  

Picture courtesy of Door County Medical Center

There will be more for you to enjoy at this year’s Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair happening Memorial Day weekend. The 26th edition of the annual event will welcome a record number of over 80 artists to Martin Park on the city’s east side. Artists across several different disciplines will be competing for ribbons and cash prizes during the two-day event, including Best of Show. Destination Sturgeon Bay Marketing Coordinator Alexa Soto says while art is the focal point, there will be plenty of other activities for visitors to check out.

Sponsored by Door County Medical Center, the 2024 Fine Art Fair will take place Saturday, May 25th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, May 26th, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The necessary construction work on State Highway 42 in Door County this spring might test the patience of many drivers. Still, it might also present questions on what constitutes “local traffic” and whether you are considered “thru traffic.”  

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WiDOT) and the Village of Egg Harbor are working on two projects simultaneously: one stretching about 15 miles from the 42/57 split north of Sturgeon Bay to Rainbow Ridge Court and the other from County T to the north end of Church Street in Egg Harbor. 

To be considered "Local Traffic" and bypass the detours, you must live, shop, work, or have another stop within the road closure area.

If you are traveling beyond the 42/57 junction and don’t plan on stopping before you reach the construction zone, you must take the detour route. This classifies as “Thru Traffic.”  

If Mother Nature cooperates, the detours are expected to last until the middle of June. However, if work is not completed by June 28, the closures will end and begin again after Labor Day. 

You can find the detours and alternate routes online through the Village of Egg Harbor website, along with helpful links and information below.

Other construction work beginning soon by the WisDOT:

Sturgeon Bay) To invest in Wisconsin’s transportation system, Governor Evers signed a $2.3 million contract to improve seven miles of WIS 42 from Rainbow Ridge Court in the town of Egg Harbor to Bluff Lane in the town of Gibraltar. Project construction begins Monday, May 13, 2024, and will finish in June of this year.  

Northeast Asphalt, Inc. from Greenville, Wis. is the Prime Contractor.

Project improvements

This is a resurfacing-level project that includes milling 2” of the existing asphaltic lanes and overlaying with 2”. Other work includes installing centerline and shoulder rumble strips, upgrading the guardrail and associated excavation, adding gravel to existing shoulders, and pavement marking.

Traffic impacts

WIS 42 will be constructed under single-lane closures via flagging operations for both local and through traffic.

• Note: WIS 42 south of County EE in the project work zone is currently closed for a village of Egg HarborLocal Program project. The construction for this state highway resurfacing will utilize the local closure.

Detour: A WIS 42 detour is being provided by other projects. The detour will follow WIS 57, County V, County A, and County EE.

Project benefits

The purpose of the project is to improve the deteriorating pavement to extend the roadway's service life and upgrade other roadway deficiencies. The project will reduce roadway roughness and provide a smoother driving surface for motorists. The improvements will also extend the life of the existing pavement. New rumble strips will alert vehicles who leave the lane of travel and create a safer driving environment. Upgrades to guardrail and shoulders will further enhance safety.

More information

• Visit the WIS 42 construction website at https://projects.511wi.gov/wis42shore/.
  • Website also contains information for a second WisDOT state highway project on WIS 42 currently under construction in Door County. Egg Harbor is conducting a third project on WIS 42. 
• During construction, traffic impacts and construction operations can be found on the Northeast Region Weekly Highway ConstructionAdvisory at  https://projects.511wi.gov/weeklyupdates-ne/
• Wisconsin’s Northeast Region Twitter @WisDOTnortheast.   

Work Zone Safety

Each year in Wisconsin, both highway workers and motorists are killed and injured in crashes that happen in highway construction zones. Motorists should slow down, be patient, and pay attention to their surroundings in this and all work zones.

For more information regarding work zone rules for motorists, the law restricting hand-held devices, and general work zone safety information, please see our work zone safety website at https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/safety/education/workzone/.

This week at Crossroads, our public programs focus on under-appreciated, but essential components of our environment: biodiversity, fungi and dark skies.

On Saturday, May 11, the Crossroads Habitat Healers will plant native tree seedlings at the Crossroads Workshop starting at 9:00 a.m. The same day, the Door Peninsula Mushroom Club will be in the Collins Learning Center presenting the 2nd Annual Mushroom Day, which will run from 10:00 to 3:00 p.m.

At the Stonecipher Astronomy Center, on Tuesday, May 14 at 7:00 pm, the program at the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society (DPAS) will be “Dark Skies and Wildlife.” 

We at Crossroads are guided by the words of Aldo Leopold who wrote, “The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land... In short, a land ethic changes the role of Homo sapiens from conqueror of the land-community to plain member and citizen of it.”

While Leopold was a passionate advocate for planting trees, he did not write much about biodiversity, fungi, and dark skies….probably because, when he was alive, we were not yet aware of their importance.   

Planting a variety of native trees and shrubs is an extremely effective way to enrich the environment for birds and other wildlife. Dr. Douglas Tallamy explains, “Understand that moths and butterflies and many of our insect pollinators lay their eggs in the leaves of native trees.”

Almost all of our songbirds feed their young exclusively with fat juicy caterpillars. Without a variety of native plants, we would not have a variety of caterpillars. And without a variety of caterpillars, we will not have a variety of nesting birds. If we want nesting birds in the yard, we need a variety of native trees.

Trees and shrubs take simple chemicals from the ground and air, and using the energy of the Sun, through the process of photosynthesis, combine these chemicals into the compounds which make up wood.

After a tree dies (and sometimes it is still alive), fungi take apart the chemical compounds, feed on the carbohydrates, and break down the wood into simple chemicals.

Fungi are not plants nor are they animals. Rather, fungi are living organisms belonging to their own kingdom. There are countless kinds of fungus, all of which probably are more closely related to animals than to plants because they cannot manufacture food.

Some can be harmful. Truly remarkable, the mycorrhizal fungi that have a symbiotic relationship with the roots of many plants are extremely beneficial.  Other fungi feed on dead (and sometimes live) trees and other plants and animals.

Just as apples contain the seeds which will grow into new apple trees, many fungi have fruiting bodies called mushrooms which contain the spores which grow into new fungi.

Most fungus spores blow around and fall in places where they cannot grow. But the spores that fall on dead wood can grow. As they grow, feeding on the sugars manufactured in green leaves, fungi decompose the wood, turning it back into simple chemicals. They help dead trees break down and put chemicals back into the soil—recycling!

Door Peninsula Mushroom Club will hold its 2nd Annual Mushroom Day to celebrate these remarkably varied fruiting bodies we call mushrooms with guided hikes, lectures, demonstrations, and vendors. Whether you are a seasoned mycophile or just curious about the magical world of mushrooms, this event is for you! And it is free and open to the public.

Research scientist Christopher Kyba wrote that for nocturnal animals, “the introduction of artificial light probably represents the most drastic change human beings have made to their environment."

But how on Earth could limiting artificial light at night help protect wildlife?  At the May meeting of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society, Coggin Heeringa will present the program “Dark Skies and Wildlife” and will review emerging research pertaining to the negative effect of artificial light on plants and insects and, by extension, wildlife. The program is free and open to all. Weather permitting, we will open the observatory for night sky viewing.

Spring has sprung. Visit Crossroads by day to see wildflowers and in the evening to hear the frog chorus and see dancing woodcocks. The trails are open all day, every day, free of charge.

Saturday, May 11

10 am to 3 pm 2nd Annual Mushroom Day

Enjoy visiting mushroom-related vendors. Engage in indoor and outdoor mushroom activities, hear informative lectures and learn about wild mushrooms and how to cultivate your own at home. Whether you’re a seasoned mycophile or just curious about the magical world of mushrooms, this event is for you!

Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

9:00  Habitat Healers: Seedling Tree Plantings

This week Habitat Healers (Crossroads volunteers) will be planting tree seedlings! Wear clothing and footgear that can get dirty and wet and bring a water bottle. Instruction, equipment, and gloves provided along with cookies and lemonade at the end! There is no need to register in advance and all ages are welcome. Meet at the Workshop at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, May 14,

 7:00 Meeting of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society

Visitors are encouraged to attend the monthly meeting of DPAS. Coggin Heeringa, will present the program, “Dark Skies and Wildlife” will interest people who love astronomy  and naturalists. Weather permitting, a viewing night will follow the meeting. Meet at the Stonecipher Astronomy Center, 2200 Utah in Sturgeon Bay.

The wait is over for Oconomowoc’s Halei Heinzel, who was officially named the next Alice in Dairyland in front of a packed ballroom at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay Saturday night.

Henizel beat out Fox Lake’s Cierra Essock, Denmark’s Katrina Hoesley, Kewaunee’s Kiley Pagel, Kiel’s Lauren Siemers, and Big Bend’s Michaela King for the title after the three-day finals event that included stops at individual agricultural businesses Thursday and Friday, the Wisconsin Products Showcase on Friday night, and the last competition on Saturday night. The last few days have been a whirlwind, but the ending was a dream come true for Heinzel.

Saturday night marked the beginning of the end of the road for Ashley Hagenow’s term as the Alice in Dairyland. She says the experience has only deepened her appreciation for Wisconsin’s agriculture, including what she discovered during her multiple trips to Door County over the last year.

Hagenow will serve as Alice in Dairyland through the end of June, which is Dairy Month. Alice in Dairyland is a one-year, full-time public relations position with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) supported by several agriculturally minded organizations from around the state.

The finals also brought to Door County more than two dozen Alices to participate in some of the events around the 2024 Door County Alice in Dairyland Finals. Next year, Crawford County will host the annual event.

Picture courtesy of Kevin C. Ress

If you boat off the shores of Door and Kewaunee counties, you may be familiar with the work of Green Bay Marine Conservation Warden Jordan Resop out on the water. Serving on the DNR Warden Team since 2017, Resop was awarded the Boating Officer of The Year Award earlier this week by the state agency. Resop helps manage the Sturgeon Bay Service Center, covering Lake Michigan and its tributaries. According to the DNR, Resop is a highly sought-after trainer who is dedicated to community involvement and customer service. An example of that is work trying to bring loaner life jacket kiosks to an area municipality. Nominated by their peers, Resop was one of a dozen recipients of awards from the DNR’s Division of Public Safety and Resource Protection in honor of their exemplary public service.  

With May being recognized as National Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to take some time to talk about mental health here in our own community. Over the years, I have written on the subject of wellness, of which Mental Wellness is a critical piece. Just as with the other components of wellness, there can be various degrees or conditions. When we look at physical wellness, it isn’t all or nothing. We each have our current state of fitness or nutrition, which we are either working to improve or are satisfied with. Mental Health is much the same. Each of us experiences transitions and swings from day to day, week to week, or year to year. For any of us to say we are in a perpetual state of happiness or positivity would be disingenuous.

For most of us, we are able to maintain an ability to function even as our mental wellness fluctuates. However, there are those who are not so fortunate. Their mental state can create a real and absolute barrier to even the simplest of tasks. The behavior exhibited by those experiencing such significant challenges can, in turn, challenge those around them.

At times the interactions may not seem logical, or the statements without reason, causing us to retract and isolate ourselves from the behavior we are not comfortable with. Scenarios such as this have been part of our society for many years in communities across the country, but just as with many aspects of cultural change, we here in Kewaunee County have been somewhat isolated from them.

For those of us in Law Enforcement and our partners in the mental health professions, we have been responding and providing resources to those who find themselves in a state of mental health crisis for many years. Our response options have ranged from short-term emergency detention in a care facility to crisis plans that allow the individual to remain in the community with the support of family and local resources. It is always the goal to provide such resources that will allow the individual to regain a functional state of mental wellness. In many cases, this is exactly what has happened, but for some, their mental state does not allow them to fully regain that ability. For some, they exist in a delicate balance between functional independence and debilitating dysfunction. So, how do we as a community respond in those instances? How do we show patience and compassion to those whose behavior challenges our social norms? How do we as a community balance empathy for their condition with accountability regarding their behavior?

These are challenges that will test us both as individuals and as communities. We pride ourselves on being from a community that supports each other. We have come together during times of personal tragedy and struggle for so many throughout the years, and these challenges will require the same response. It is easy to show care for those who stay within the social and behavioral expectations. It is not as easy when those who need our help and support display behavior that results in our initial human response of retraction and isolation. We must continue to work together so that those experiencing struggle are not met with judgement or alienation, but rather compassion and inclusion.

After spending Thursday and a portion of Friday touring spots around the area, the six candidates vying for the title of Alice in Dairyland got to interact directly with community members at the Door County Gala for the Wisconsin Products Showcase. Fox Lake’s Cierra Essock, Oconomowoc’s Halei Heinzel, Denmark’s Katrina Hoesley, Kewaunee’s Kiley Pagel, Kiel’s Lauren Siemers, and Big Bend’s Michaela King are all in the running for the role and spent Friday night featuring Wisconsin-produced products like Christmas trees, honey, maple syrup, ginseng, snapbeans, and cherries. Candidates provided samples and answers to attendees checking out their displays.

 

 

 

 

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Candidates also took turns answering impromptu questions, covering issues in agriculture, topics fourth graders would want to know about, and Door County.

The Wisconsin Products Showcase is one of the final activities the candidates will participate in before the finale on Saturday.

A bird looking for a new home is to blame for the power being knocked out on Sturgeon Bay’s east side for approximately 20 minutes on Friday. The power outage occurred at around 10:15 a.m. when the starling flew into the 1st Avenue Substation, electrocuting itself. The outage knocked out power for Door County Medical Center, Sturgeon Bay High School, NEW Radio, the Door County YMCA, and other businesses and residences. Crews were near the substation when the outage occurred and they were able to address the problem quickly. Despite the necessary precautions, Sturgeon Bay Utilities General Manager Jim Stawicki says this time of year is usually bad for wildlife and electricity.

Stawicki apologized for the inconvenience the power outage caused residents and businesses in the area, even though it is a common occurrence. According to The Nature Conservancy, about 13 million Americans lose power to wildlife annually.

You may play a key role in your neighbors getting faster internet in Sister Bay. The Village of Sister Bay is hosting a series of meetings in the coming weeks about the broadband services that will be made available to residents and business owners through a deal with Bertram Communications. The fiber optic cables will be buried and run to every developed property. The cost to bury the line on private property is at no cost to the property owner, but after the project is complete, should someone want a line buried and box installed, there will be a fee. The meetings will give residents and business owners an opportunity to ask questions and to sign your “Right of Entry” form, allowing crews to come onto your property to bury cable. Village Administrator Julie Schmelzer says whether you want or need the service, your cooperation could be the difference between your neighbors getting fast internet or not.

The first meeting for condominium owners and homeowner associations is Tuesday, May 7th, at 2 p.m. at the fire station. A second public informational session for homeowners, tenants, businesses, and institutions will be held at 5:30 p.m. that same day at the same place. The village will reprise those meetings for people who could not come on June 4th.

Gibraltar kindergarten students will have their artwork destroyed by zoo animals in the coming weeks, and you should not be shocked to learn that they are okay with that.

Secondary art teacher Laura Miekle and kindergarten teacher Lizz Thomas joined forces last month to create paper mache toys for the animals at the NEW Zoo in Suamico to enjoy. The piñata-like creations are filled with treats for the animals that they have to play with in order to get them. The project paired secondary school art students with kindergarten students to make toys for animals made out of newspaper, flour, and non-toxic paint. Meikle says the collaboration will result in enrichment for the animals and a special experience for the students.

According to the Minnesota Zoo, enrichment gives the animals something to think about, encourages exercise, and a degree of control of their environment. The kindergarten students are slated to visit the NEW Zoo later this year where they could see their projects played with by some of the animals.

Picture courtesy of Gibraltar Area Schools

You will have the same opportunities to hunt deer in Door County as last year. The state’s County Deer Advisory Councils have met over the previous several weeks, including April 24th in Door County. While the meeting was sparsely attended, dozens of written comments were considered. Some comments called for a ban on baiting, citing that it is causing the deer to be nocturnal. The comments also showed that even though there is some disagreement about the size of the herd of Door County, many would like to see Door County split into three management zones (islands, north, south) so the actual deer populations can be reflected. Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Chris Kratcha says that the CDAC ultimately decided to keep things as they were last year, including an extended bow season and a holiday hunt.

Just because you can only hunt deer in the fall does not mean you cannot get outdoors. The state’s turkey hunting season is underway until the end of the month, and the inland lake fishing season begins on Saturday.

Whenever there is darkness and negativity in the world, Rabbi Michoel Feinstein of the Chabad of the Bay Area hopes you can provide light with kindness and positivity. College campuses across the country have flashpoints for pro-Palestinian protests that have led to hundreds of arrests at schools like Columbian University, Northwestern University, University of California-Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and University of Wisconsin-Madison. Students are calling for the universities to sever their ties with Israel and to support a ceasefire in Gaza. The protests have turned violent in some cases as police officers have attempted to break down encampments that have been created. Feinstein says everyone has the right to a peaceful protest, but he has been alarmed by the rhetoric and the violence that has occurred along with it.

According to Al Jazeera, more than 34,500 people in Gaza, about 500 in the West Bank, and 1,100 people in Israel have been killed in Israel since the Muslim terrorist group Hamas launched their attack on October 7th. Dozens more were kidnapped by the Hamas militants. Feinstein says the community has been supportive of its congregation since the attacks occurred, including a toy and clothing drive that was sent to Israeli families last year. We did reach out to the UWGB chapter of Students for a Democratic Society for comment after they hosted a pro-Palestinian rally on campus on Wednesday, where they highlighted the more than 13,000 Palestinian children that have been killed since October, according to UNICEF.

You may have seen some of Kewaunee County's next leaders roaming the halls of its municipal buildings on Wednesday. Organized by the local American Legion chapters, students from the County’s three high schools toured the Sheriff’s Office, jail museum, courthouse, and administration building as part of the annual Youth Government Day. Kewaunee County Clerk Jamie Annoye says it is great to see young people in the community take an interest in what they do daily.

Annoye says this is the first time they have held their Youth Government Day since 2019. In addition to the tours led by county officials, attorney Kirt Johnson shared his experiences working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., and the participants participated in a mock trial.

Pictures courtesy of Kewaunee School District

You will be able to honor the life of Midsummer’s Music co-founder Jean Berkenstock during this season’s performances throughout Door County this year. Last October, Berkenstock passed away over 30 years after she and her husband James created Midsummer’s Music so people in Door County could listen to world-class chamber music right in their own backyard. Shortly after her death, Fleck said Berkenstock helped transform the music scene in Door County.

Mozart, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and more are just some of the composers who will be featured during the nearly 40-show season. Musicians from ensembles like the Chicago Symphony, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Ravinia Festival, and the Pro Arte Quartet are scheduled to participate. The season starts June 13th with an Opening Night Gala at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. You can learn more about the upcoming season and buy tickets by clicking this link.

Thanks to a state grant announced on Tuesday, you will see new equipment coming to Washington Island School. Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation announced more $493,000 in fab lab grants for 18 school districts across the state, including Washington Island. The district will receive a $25,000 grant from the state and will provide 50 percent in matching funds to extend the investment into its science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM programming. Thanks to the community’s efforts to raise the matching funds, technical education teacher Matt Sullivan says much of the funds will go towards upgrading the school’s computers to use its current equipment to its fullest capabilities.

Washington Island Superintendent of Business Services Sue Cornell credits the teachers for going the extra mile to bring its students a more in-depth experience and sometimes secure the extra funding needed to make it happen. This is the second time Washington Island School District has received money through the state’s Fab Labs Grant program.

You will see a familiar face heading up the commercial lending position for the newly created Door County Workforce Housing Lending Corporation.  Kay Smith of Sturgeon Bay has been hired as the nonprofit’s commercial lender.  The organization is a partnership between the Door County Community Foundation and NeighborWorks Green Bay that addresses the challenge that Door County faces with the lack of affordable workforce housing.  Bringing years of experience in the financial services industry locally, Smith is a currently a board member of the Door County Housing Partnership and a past member of the board for Door County Habitat for Humanity.

The WHLC provides key financial incentives for developers to build affordable rental units that is in the price range of working families in Door County.

You can find more information on the Workforce Housing Lending Corporation here.  

You will need to be patient driving in northern Door County as significant improvements on the roadways north of Sister Bay and in Ephraim amp up in the coming weeks.

On Wednesday morning, the Door County Highway Department started a resurfacing project on County ZZ from Meadow Road to Robin Lane.  The paving work will require lane closures and flagging operations at times, and the Highway Department is asking drivers to avoid driving on the oiled surface before the two asphalt lifts are lifted.  The paving part of the project will take six to eight days to get done.   No detour will be used for the project, and after a short curing period, the road work is expected to be completed by May 23, with centerline striping done later. 

Next week in Ephraim, the Door County Highway Department is upgrading the street and drainage on County Q/Moravia and Church Streets.  Starting Monday, a portion of the asphalt roadway, along with concrete and blacktop driveways, will be removed.  Crews will then grade and compact the roadway in preparation for new paving, which will take almost a week to complete.  You can expect temporary lane closures during the paving operations, and the work is planned to be done by the end of the month as long as Mother Nature cooperates.

The Door County Highway Department apologizes for any inconvenience and says you should follow all signs and use caution when traveling around road construction equipment and crews.

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor who stepped up for the Door County YMCA to help the organization reach its annual campaign goal of $602,000, the YMCA raised well over $50,000 in April due to the matching fund donation.   YMCA Mission Advancement Executive Brett Cleveland says the outpouring of support is something to celebrate.

Executive Director Tanya Felhofer shares how the money raised stays entirely in Door County while meeting the program needs of the community.

The Door County YMCA has over 11,000 members while providing financial assistance to more than 1,100 persons who otherwise could not afford membership. On the Y Wednesday Podcast page, you can listen to the entire interview with Brett Cleveland and Tanya Felhofer on the annual campaign and upcoming events at the Door County YMCA.