Listen Live

Podcast

Videos

Daily E-lert

News

Kick Ash Products recalls granola product

The owners of Kick Ash Products in Ellison Bay want you to stay safe after an allergen was found in one of its batches of granola. Last week, Kick Ash Products recalled its dark chocolate cherry granola. According to its post, almonds were added to one of the batches, making it an undeclared allergen that is present in the item’s packaging. If you have one of the identified bags, you can return it for a full refund or a replacement. You can find the complete recall information below.

 

 

Free Public Health Skin Cancer Screenings coming in April

The Kewaunee County Public Health Department is sponsoring a free skin cancer screening next month. The American Academy of Dermatology estimates that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Every day, about 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer. Kewaunee County Public Health Director Cindy Kinnard says skin cancer is the most common form and can be detected with a simple test. She notes that skin cancer screening exams are the best way to catch melanoma and other skin cancers early. 

 

 

The Free Skin Cancer Screening will be held on Saturday, April 13, from 8:30 a.m. until noon at Prevea Health Center in Luxemburg. The screening is open for all ages and will also provide you with information on the danger signs of skin cancer and how to protect your skin. You can register in advance by calling the Kewaunee County Public Health Department at 920-388-7160.  


Kelsey Smith Act heads to Governor's Desk

A bill heading to Governor Tony Evers’ desk aims to give you more peace of mind if a loved one goes missing. The Wisconsin State Senate approved Assembly Bill 960 by a 29-3 vote that would require wireless providers to turn over device location information to law enforcement without a warrant. It could only occur if a customer or subscriber consents, if the provider believes an emergency involves a possible death or serious bodily harm, and if the location information is relevant and crucial. Over 30 states across the country have similar laws on the books. Rep. Joel Kitchens says he worked with the American Civil Liberties Union to iron out certain aspects of the bill to address privacy concerns.

The bill is also known as the Kelsey Smith Act, named after a Kansas teenager who was abducted and murdered in 2007. It is believed that using location data would have helped track down Smith sooner, but her cell phone provider was apprehensive about sharing the data. Kitchens credited Connor Waterstreet, a member of the Door County YMCA Youth in Government organization, with bringing the law to his attention.

 

Photo courtesy of State Rep. Joel Kitchens

Alleged bullying led to Gibraltar student bringing gun to school

Seventeen-year-old Aidan Rice says a former student led to him bringing a gun to Gibraltar Secondary School on Friday.

 

According to WLUK-TV, Rice was released on a $5,000 signature bond on Monday after appearing in court. In his criminal complaint, Rice said he was scared of a former student, a person who allegedly pounded on a bathroom door while he was at Wal-Mart a week prior.  School Resource Officer Heather Bemmann stated that the unidentified student had not been on campus since last November. Rice 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. Rice may have had the gun on him on Thursday when a classmate noted that he said “something about someone chasing him in a park” before tapping on his jacket.

 

Rice was arrested last Friday for possessing the gun on school property and stayed in Door County Sheriff’s Department custody until Monday. He will still have to wear a GPS unit as a condition of his release, in addition to having no contact with Gibraltar Area Schools and not possessing any firearms. He is due back in court on May 13th at 10 a.m.


Kewaunee County gets updates from KCEDC, Bug Tussel

The Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors will get a pair of reports during its final meeting ahead of the April 2nd Spring Election.

 

Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Ben Nelson is slated to give an update that will likely include details on its affordable housing efforts. In January, the organization announced it submitted a grant proposal to build the housing stock in Algoma, Kewaunee, and the Village of Luxemburg. The KCEDC is seeking collaborative partnerships to help make the plan a reality after a 2019 housing study showed that more than two-thirds of Kewaunee County's housing stock is more than 50 years old, and there is a need for rental units and starter homes.

 

Bug Tussel will also provide an update after its Executive Director of Public Affairs, Scott Feldt, addressed several customer concerns in December at the county board meeting.

 

The Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors will also weigh in on a financial assistance grant for its snowmobile and ATV trails and a resolution to upgrade its highway department equipment when it meets on Tuesday at the Kewaunee County Administration Center beginning at 6 p.m.

Door and Kewaunee counties remain in high fire danger zone

No incidents occurred over the weekend, but you are still encouraged to take the proper steps if you are burning outside this spring. Door and Kewaunee counties are among the 42 currently at a high fire danger level. The other 30 counties shuffled levels over the past week, with 19 counties in west central Wisconsin being upgraded to the very high fire danger level. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources last Friday, there were over 80 wildfires across the state last week, burning 182 acres. That brings the yearly total to 244 fires burning over 500 acres, with the bulk of that starting from debris burning. When Door and Kewaunee counties first entered the high fire danger level earlier this year, Chris Hecht from the Sister Bay/Liberty Grove said there are ways you can help prevent an accidental grass or brush fire.

Burn permits are issued by individual fire departments in Door and Kewaunee counties, unlike several counties in northern and central Wisconsin that are under DNR forest fire protection regulations. Many of those counties cannot receive a burn permit because of the current conditions.

City looks at two plans for Nautical Drive property

No matter what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and UW-Green Bay decide, you will notice some changes to a portion of Sturgeon Bay’s waterfront coming in the future.

 

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will look at concepts developed by Edgewater Resources for city-owned property on Nautical Drive near the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club. When Edgewater Resources representatives were in town in December, People living near the site were also contacted so they could meet with the consultants to get their input on what they would like to see. Some ideas floated for the site included improving the dock wall, building a structure for the Sail Training Foundation, and returning the “E” dock. City Planner Stephanie Servia said at the time that if the city is chosen for the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) facility and if that site is slated for it, the plans will have to be tweaked.

 

The plans being presented to the council on Tuesday consider both possibilities. Both designs include a multi-use trail and benches, a bridge across a nearby creek, a renovated boat launch, a new e-dock, and sail foundation docks. The most significant difference between the two site plans is a 6,000-square-foot building for the NERR Visitor Center. The Sail Training Foundation would also have a building in both concepts, but the size would fluctuate if the city gets the NERR visitor center and the Nautical Drive site is chosen. The price tag for both concepts has not been determined.

 

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will also look to discuss the 2024 Harbor Improvement Plan, approve the rezoning of two parcels, and hear the first reading of an ordinance dealing with obstructions and encroachments on city streets and sidewalks. The meeting will start in the council chambers at city hall beginning at 6 p.m.

Brighter days ahead on Bayview Bridge with maintenance project

Things will be looking brighter on the Bayview Bridge on Monday, but they will delay your trips across the water for the day.

 

On Friday, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation announced that traffic across the Bayview Bridge will be partially restricted on Monday due to crews repairing the existing lights on the center span. Flagging operations will control traffic from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists looking to avoid delays due to flagging operations can always cut through downtown Sturgeon Bay and use either the Maple/Oregon Street Bridge or the Michigan Street Bridge. 

Door County Seed Library kicks off season

You may have to wait a few weeks to plant, but you can at least get the seeds you want beginning Monday. The Door County Seed Library will host its season launch party on Monday at the Egg Harbor Library from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The seed library holds hundreds of vegetable and flower seeds, gardening books, and magazines. A joint venture with the Door County Master Gardeners, The Community’s Garden, Extension Door County, and Wild Ones of the Door Peninsula, the Door County Library also has seed libraries at Baileys Harbor, Ephraim, Fish Creek, Forestville, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove, Sturgeon Bay, and Washington Island. The seeds will be available now through the end of summer.

Ecology takes focus at Crossroads

This week, the public programs at Crossroads will feature weather, native landscapes and birds, which, though different, are related because in ecology, everything is.

 

On Saturday, March 23 at 2:00, during  our free family program, Saturday Science, learners of all ages will explore WEATHER! The topic was selected long ago because March is known for its changeable range of weather….lions and lambs… and so forth. But we certainly will not be able explain the bizarre weather we have experienced recently. 

 

Theories ranging from sunspot activity or El Nino to shifts in the jet stream have flooded the Internet, but truly, the scientific community is baffled. And predictions about what this weather will mean to our migrating birds and fish, to our orchards and to our lawns and crops are speculation at best.

 

That said, families will enjoy “making” a cloud and participating in hands-on demonstrations about wind and precipitation.

 

Door County Master Gardeners, Wild Ones-Door Peninsula and Crossroads at Big Creek have joined forces to bring Justin Kroening of Stone Silo Prairie Gardeners Nursery to the Collins Learning Center to present the free public program: “Solving Door County Landscaping Problems with Native Plants” on Tuesday, March 26 at 6:30pm.

 

When you think about it, many landscaping problems on the Door Peninsula are the result of extreme weather, and it does seem that extreme weather is becoming more common.  

 

Some winters are bitter cold. Other winters are warm to the extent the plants and seeds do not experience the requisite days of dormancy.  A late frost can prevent some flowers [think fruit trees] from blooming and bearing fruit. Some years [think last summer] it was far too dry. We all remembers summers during which we were flooded by perpetual rain or sudden violent storm events.

 

Inclement weather is nothing new. The Door Peninsula has been experiencing adverse weather conditions throughout its existence. During some geologic  periods, weather was far more extreme than the conditions we have now.

Our native plants are the survivors of past adverse conditions. Native trees, shrubs and wildflowers have adapted to our  soil conditions. They have survived the Little Ice Age.  Unlike turf grass, natives have roots deep enough to have survived during prolonged droughts.

 

In contrast, many plants brought in from other parts of the world, while attractive and apparently desirable, usually do just fine in temperate years. But they just can’t make it under extreme conditions.

 

In his talk, Justin will recommend ways to landscape with the native plants which have adapted to our weather and climate.

 

The next day, the Crossroads Book Club will discuss the award winning  “Genius of Birds”  an entertaining book which highlights new findings and discoveries in the field of bird intelligence. All are welcome, whether or not they have read the book,  to join Program Director Corey Batson around the fireplace for a lively discussion.

 

Clearly birds are intelligent. For example, songbirds almost always choose to nest in landscapes with native plants.

 

Understand that parent birds need the proteins and fats necessary to sustain themselves while involved in the arduous tasks of building nests and raising their families. And they need to be able to find even more nutritious food for  their offspring.

 

For our songbirds, the best source of nutrients is caterpillars. But most moths and butterflies are quite particular in selecting the plants---almost always native—on which to lay their eggs.

 

It’s fun to watch songbirds select nest sites that will provide both cover and adequate food.  They bounce through the trees and shrubs obviously looking for something.

 

They are looking for holes and insect damage in leaves. Most of us never even notice the tiny holes in host plants, but  birds can recognize a nest territory that will supply the food they need to raise a family…. hopefully in our landscapes.  Avian geniuses know they need natives in any kind of weather.

 

 

Saturday, March 23

Family Program: Science Saturday: Weather

 This free family program will begin with a brief video followed by a number of hands-on activities exploring the basics of weather. Kids will "make a cloud" and participate in hand-on activities focusing on air, heat, and water. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Street.

 

Tuesday, March 26

7:30 Master Gardener/Wild Ones/Crossroads Program:Solving Door County Landscape Problems with Native Plants 

 Many gardeners in Door County are interested in using more native plants because they provide food for insects, birds, bats, small mammals and other wildlife, but they’re unsure how to successfully use these plants. At the next Door County Master Gardeners Educational Lecture, Justin Kroening, owner of Stone Silo Prairie Gardens, will explore how to solve Door County landscape problems with native plants. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be in-person at Collin Learning Center, Crossroads,2041 Michigan, Sturgeon BAy

 

Wednesday, March 27

10:00 am  Crossroads Book Club: The Genius of Birds

 

This month we’re reading The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman. Crossroads will have a few copies of the book available to borrow if needed.

Whether you’ve read the book yet or not, we would love for you to join us as we explore the stories, ideas, and concepts shared within the pages of these awesome books! Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Dillon resigning a boon for Door County

You can expect to see the Mayor of Door County around town for at least another year. The Green Bay Packers reportedly resigned running back AJ Dillon to a four-year qualifying offer on Thursday that keeps the famous player in the Green and Gold for another season with little risk for the franchise if he does not make the 53-man roster. Dillon has been a common sight for Door County visitors and residents since he was drafted by the Packers in 2020. He received a key to the county in 2021 and was featured on the cover of a local publication in 2023. He also frequently posts about his Door County exploits on his social media channels, whether on a rooftop with goats or with his family at one of the area’s restaurants. Last summer, Destination Door County’s Jon Jarosh said his authenticity is as important as the reach his posts get, which helped showcase the area to a new audience.

Door County did lose one of its celebrity fans to free agency earlier this week when safety Jonathan Owens, who is married to Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, was signed by the Chicago Bears. Biles and other members of the Packers took social media by storm last Memorial Day when the team celebrated the holiday in Door County. 

Defacing election signs is against the law

Although this may be a bit early, I have had some calls voicing concerns about the placement of election signs, so I thought I would resurrect a previous article on this very subject. Be mindful that the laws and regulations governing election signs pertain to the spring primary as well as the typical fall election season.

    

We are so lucky to live in a free and democratic society where we choose our elected officials every two years, four years, or, in some cases, six years. We should be grateful for those who take the time and commit to put their name on a ballot and serve our communities at all levels. Having said that, we need to respect the process by which these men and women promote themselves and their views in seeking these important offices.

    

One of the most visible signs that we are, in fact, in an election cycle is the presence of election signs either on private property or on rented billboards. The tampering or outright theft of these pieces of property is just that, and it is just as much a violation as if any other personal property was stolen or damaged. The state statutes that cover theft (943.20) or Damage to Property (943.01) also apply in these incidents. Any reports of such violations will be investigated, and charges referred to just as in any other complaints of similar criminal behavior.

     

Regarding the placement of signs by candidates, Wisconsin State Statute Chapter 12 governs those seeking public office and sets forth the restrictions and allowances regarding campaign material. At a local level, a few things to consider is making sure these signs are, in fact, on private property and not either on publicly owned property or posted in the public right of ways along the side of roads. Also, there are specific regulations requiring specific language that must be present on all election signs as well as any election material being handed out or circulated. We have all seen these statements in small print “Authorized and Paid for by……” but many are not aware that this is actually required by election regulations.

      

Even when posting on private property, it is common courtesy to ask permission before posting these signs.

       

While we may not hold similar views to all candidates, we owe them the respect that is due to them for putting themselves out and sacrificing their time and resources to make our communities stronger and engage in our democratic process. Thank you to all who serve in elected office, and good luck to those currently seeking office.     

Gibraltar student arrested for firearm possession

A 17-year-old Gibraltar student is in custody after he brought a handgun to school. A staff member notified Gibraltar’s school resource officer that the student may have brought a gun to school. After being interviewed by the officer and a school administrator, a Ruger .38 Special revolver was found, prompting the arrest by the Town of Gibraltar Police Department. The student will remain in jail pending a court appearance on Monday. The Door County District Attorney is deciding if the Class I felony charge that comes with knowingly possessing a firearm on school grounds is an appropriate charge or if additional charges could be added. The investigation is ongoing, and the Door County Sheriff’s Department and Gibraltar School District are working together to follow up with additional witnesses. Chief Deputy Pat McCarty says the incident is a reminder that parents should have conversations with their children about school safety and the importance of telling an adult if they know of any potential dangers to themselves, their fellow students, and staff members.

School closure a reminder of carbon monoxide dangers

If multiple people in your home or business are experiencing shortness of breath, light-headedness, and an elevated heart rate, Ephraim Fire Chief Justin MacDonald does not want you to hesitate to call them about possible high levels of carbon monoxide. That was the case at Crandon School District this week after 39 students, staff members, and EMS workers were hospitalized due to elevated carbon monoxide exposure. According to the Forest County Sheriff’s Department, hazmat workers from Oneida County and Wausau determined on Friday that a mechanical issue with the furnace was to blame for the elevated levels inside the school. The district canceled classes and school events for Friday until the building can be properly vented and the issues are resolved. MacDonald says they do not get a lot of carbon monoxide-related calls, but they do work with the property owners to ensure they are safe before they allow them back inside.

 

Ultimate Air owner Jeff Blemke says having your furnace properly maintained and a carbon monoxide detector will help protect your family.

 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 420 people die and 100,000 people are admitted to emergency rooms every year from accidental CO poisoning.

Birch Creek ready to welcome students and guests for 2024 season

You can almost hear the sounds of instruments driving past Birch Creek Music Performance Center. Earlier this month, tickets went on sale for the 2024 season, which begins on June 20th with the Percussion, Steel Pan, and World Music session. The symphony session will follow, beginning on July 4th, and the first two consecutive sessions of Big Band Jazz will start on July 17th.  Birch Creek Music Performance Center has been building its ensembles since early December, with registration numbers on par with last year's. Executive Director Mona Christensen says the sessions put musicians on the right path toward a career in music by immersing them in performance and connecting them with world-class instruction.

Whether you want to register your child for one of the sessions or buy tickets for the performances, Christensen encourages you to visit their website for more information. You'll be able to read more about the individual sessions below.

 

SESSION PREVIEWS

Opening night takes place on Thursday, June 20. The inaugural performance promises a spectacular Percussion, Steel Pan & World Music concert titled "Percussion at the Disco: I Just Want to Celebrate the 70s!". Following this, from June 21 to June 29, six more Percussion, Steel Pan & World Music concerts await, highlighting the talents of faculty percussionists and students. Program Director Dan Moore, Professor of Music and Director of Percussion at the University of Iowa, will lead these performances.


The Percussion series at Birch Creek offers a diverse range of styles, featuring Caribbean grooves with Scott McConnell, Chicago Youth Symphony Percussion Director, as well as percussive jazz, authentic world music, original compositions, and more. Anthony Di Sanza, a highly acclaimed performer and educator from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will guide concertgoers through the vibrant sounds of Brazil, Cuba, and the Middle East. Notably, renowned steelpan virtuoso Victor Provost, hailing from St. John, US Virgin Islands, is set to be the Special Guest Artist. With a dazzling improvisational style, he is recognized globally for seamlessly blending Bebop, contemporary flair, and Caribbean roots. Having collaborated with jazz luminaries like Wynton Marsalis and Paquito D’Rivera, he is a rarity in the jazz ecosystem, as noted by Downbeat Magazine and the NY Times.


Symphony session concerts, featuring an 85+ piece full symphony orchestra led by Program Director Ricardo Castañeda, Principal Oboist of Lake Forest Symphony and Chicago Sinfonietta, along with Conductor Taka Matsunaga, will take place July 4-6, and July 11-13. Get ready to
experience a breathtaking musical journey as our symphony orchestra brings together the works of some of the most celebrated composers of all time.


From the emotive melodies of Bernstein and Gershwin to the intricate harmonies of Rachmaninoff, Verdi, Beethoven, and more, the performances are set to enthrall classical and contemporary orchestral enthusiasts alike. The July 5 concert will feature the talented winners of Birch Creek’s annual Clampitt Concerto Competition, returning to display their exceptional musical prowess. Additionally, distinguished faculty soloists Jodie DeSalvo, piano, will fascinate audiences with Gershwin’s "Piano Concerto in F” on July 6, while Elizabeth York, violin, will play Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending” on July 12. This summer, “A Birch Creek Symphonic Fourth” will take place on Thursday, July 4 at 3:00 PM.


The powerful and mesmerizing sounds of Big Band Jazz classics will be performed in concert during two sessions from July 17-20, July 24-27, July 31-August 3, and August 7-10. Program Director Jeff Campbell, Professor and Chair of Jazz Studies & Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and the Birch Creek Jazz Faculty Orchestras, bring their chemistry, charisma, and exceptional musicianship to Birch Creek audiences.


Performances showcase internationally acclaimed musicians and faculty performers from across the country delivering the best and most authentic big band jazz experience. Over 16 nights, Birch Creek will transport concertgoers back to the golden age of jazz, featuring the timeless sounds of legends such as Ellington, Basie, Miller, and more.
Audiences can expect to be swept away by the talented musicians, who will bring popular and newly found pieces in the Blues, Swing, and The American Songbook genre to life. Immerse yourself in the captivating sounds of horns, the rhythmic beats of the drums, and the soulful melodies of the trumpet, promising an evening of swinging, swaying, and pure musical delight. Students will be featured in pre-concert combo performances and big band numbers.

Kewaunee County schools take comprehensive approach to ag education

The path in agriculture your kids want to choose will be a compass for where they may take courses in the future. Luxemburg-Casco, Kewaunee, and Algoma school districts are collaborating on agriculture courses so they can all cover their bases beginning next school year. Luxemburg-Casco will serve as a home base for horticulture, while Kewaunee will cover animal science. Algoma’s piece in the puzzle will be precision agriculture, a farming management concept considering different variables to improve sustainability. Algoma Superintendent Jesse Brinkmann says they are currently finding the right teacher for the course, which would be the first of its kind in the state.

According to the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation, the industry's economic impact in the area is over $80 million annually, $65 million of which is generated by the county’s dairy farms.

NOAA, UW-Green Bay to hold public meeting on proposed NERR on Tuesday

The road to Sturgeon Bay being a part of a National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) stops in Green Bay on Tuesday as two agencies prepare to hold a joint public meeting.

 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and UW-Green Bay are taking comments on the significant issues related to the development of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Bay of Green Bay NERR. NOAA gave the state its blessing on the proposed NERR in January after Governor Tony Evers submitted a site nomination package the month before. The nomination includes sites in the Sturgeon Bay, Peshtigo River, and Lower Bay portions of the Green Bay estuary. By having the public meeting, UW-Green Bay and NOAA officials can continue their efforts by conducting public outreach and developing a draft environmental impact statement and management plan. The public meeting will be held virtually at 10 a.m. via Zoom and in-person at UW-Green Bay’s STEM Innovation Center at 1:30 p.m.

 

Progress towards designating the NERR would also bring more clarity for Sturgeon Bay officials who have submitted a bid to have a visitor center built in the city. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council approved the NERR Advisory Committee’s 26-page prospectus document last May detailing several sites where the NERR Visitor Center could be built. Green Bay and Marinette are also vying for the visitor center as well.

Elijah Vue's mother bound over for trial, boy remains missing

The mother of the missing three-year-old boy from Two Rivers was bound over for trial on Thursday as the search for Elijah Vue continues. 

Katrina B. Baur, 31, faces a felony charge of chronic child neglect, another felony charge of child neglect involving a six-year-old child, and two misdemeanor charges for obstructing an officer.  She will be in court for her arraignment on March 22.   According to the Herald Times Reporter, Baur’s boyfriend, Jesse Vang, has not been assigned a public defender yet, and his preliminary hearing has been rescheduled for March 23.   He faces a felony child neglect charge and reported Elijah missing on February 20 after the boy had been staying with him at his residence in Two Rivers for over a week.  According to the police report, Vang called about 11 a.m., three hours after he last saw Elijah.

Multiple searches by federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as volunteers, have yet to net any results despite hundreds of tips and leads received by the Two Rivers Police Department. 

If you have any information that may help locate Elijah Vue, contact the Two Rivers Police Department at 844-267-6648. 

Servaes to represent Kewaunee County at National 4-H Conference

Algoma High School student Morgan Servaes is heading to Capitol Hill next month to represent your community at the National 4-H Conference. Held in Washington, D.C., the event features teenage delegates from across the country working together to prepare briefings on topics important to 4-H and youth programming. The road to our Nation’s capital began months ago for Servaes, who had applied to participate in the National 4-H Conference before going through a series of virtual interviews. Servaes is excited for the experience and hopes the work she does with other delegates helps grow 4-H throughout the country.

 

 

The National 4-H Conference will take place April 19th through the 24th. Advocating for youth is nothing new to Servaes. She is a part of the Kewaunee County 4-H Teen Leadership Council and she led efforts to have an all-inclusive animal exhibition at last year’s Kewaunee County Fair.

Filling in for write-ins

If you plan to vote in the upcoming election as soon as next week, clerks hope you are thorough when filling out your ballots. Several positions up and down the ballot in Door and Kewaunee counties have yet to be listed on the ballot. The winners of those races will likely require voters to write in their preferred candidate, whether they are registered or not. This often adds time at the end of the day for election officials to sort out the ballots and ensure that every vote gets counted correctly. Door County Clerk Jill Lau says filling in the oval next to the spot where you write in your preferred candidate can help achieve that goal.

The deadline to register to vote online or by mail passed on Wednesday, but you can still register to vote at your municipal clerk’s office until March 29th or on election day at your polling place. In-person absentee voting takes place at your municipal clerk’s office between March 19th and March 31st, ahead of election day on April 2nd.

Door County Bookmobile takes a spin

Driving through Door County yesterday meant seeing something that has not happened in over three decades. The Door County Bookmobile took a tour around the county Wednesday, making one of its first trips since the vehicle was retired in 1989. It has taken approximately ten years to take it out of retirement, restore it, and prepare it for the road. Roughly $180,000 has been raised to return the icon to service. 

 

Door County Bookmobile President John Sawyer took the vehicle for a test drive on Wednesday and said the trip around the county got him and other stakeholders excited about what returning the bookmobile to service could mean for the community.

The Door County Bookmobile recently received a $25,000 grant to continue preparing the vehicle for service, which will tour the area as a traveling museum and an avenue to give kids in the community free books.

Renderings ignite excitement for Gibraltar community

Seeing is believing, and residents and staff members in Gibraltar Area School District got to see what will occur over the next two years. Monday’s school board meeting featured a presentation with CG Schmidt to show off the project, including approximately 33,000 square feet of construction work this summer. The fruit of that labor will be a two-story addition across the back of the building filled with classrooms. Made possible by voters approving a nearly $30 million capital referendum by a 3-1 ratio, Gibraltar Area Schools Superintendent Brett Stousland says the renderings give an extra dose of enthusiasm for the project.

Stousland says they are arranging the construction schedule so that students, staff, and visitors should experience only a few interruptions to their daily schedule. Next summer, the district will add additional classrooms, centralize school offices, and remove the current commons and middle school gymnasium. The district recently held contractor meetings to highlight the construction schedule and to give them the information needed to place bids on the project.

County considers moving up end date for groundwater protection ordinance

You might see manure spreading happen in Kewaunee County earlier than usual this year, thanks to the spring-like weather the area has seen. Adopted in 2016, the Public Health and Groundwater Protection Ordinance bans spreading waste onto land with a soil depth of 20 feet or less to bedrock from January 1st to April 15th. The hope with the ordinance is that the melting snow and spring rains would not carry manure and other waste into the groundwater. Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Department Director Davina Bonness told the committee on Tuesday that farmers had requested the date be lifted due to the nice weather that could allow them to plant earlier. It is recommended that nutrients be spread onto the field shortly after planting. Committee chairperson Aaron Augustian was lukewarm to the idea, saying they have come a long way since the ordinance was enacted.

The Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Committee will meet a week earlier, on April 2nd, to determine if they could lift the ordinance if the weather remains dry and mild.

Virtual Dementia Tour gives caretakers important training

You can learn how to cope and navigate through the challenges of helping people with dementia with a training tool being offered by the Aging and Disability Resource Center of the Lakeshore.

 

A Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) will be held later this month in Luxemburg to provide caregivers an opportunity to experience what it might be like to be in the shoes of someone with dementia.

 

Dementia Care Specialist Ariel Koning says the virtual aspect of the workshop will be a simulation and a debriefing session for caregivers to gain knowledge in helping dementia patients.  She shares how you will better understand the disease through the VDT experience.

 

 

Dementia is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with Alzheimer’s being the most common cause among older adults.

Koning adds that ten openings are available for the VDT, which will be held on Wednesday, March 27th, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Luxemburg.   You can sign up for the free session by contacting the ADRC of the Lakeshore at 1-877-416-7083.  

Family Dollar to close 1,000 stores nationwide

There might be fewer local low-end retail stores in the area by the end of 2024.  The Family Dollar discount chain store, owned by Dollar Tree, announced Wednesday that about 1,000 stores will be closing.

 

Although the company did not list specific stores that will be closing in a press release, Family Dollar has locations in Algoma and Luxemburg, with a Dollar Tree store in the Cherry Point Mall in Sturgeon Bay.

 

The decision calling for the nationwide closure of stores was detailed in Dollar Tree’s Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2023.

 

“As a result of this review, we plan on closing approximately 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of fiscal 2024. Additionally, approximately 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores will close over the next several years at the end of each store’s current lease term. In the fourth quarter of 2023, we incurred $594.4 million of charges in connection with the store portfolio review.”  

 

Dollar Tree, Inc., which bought Family Dollar in 2015, operates over 15,000 stores throughout the United States and Canada and is headquartered in Chesapeake, Virginia.  

 

 You can read the entire press release by Dollar Tree/Family Dollar here

Search Our Site

CANCELLATIONS

Current Weather

STURGEON BAY WEATHER

Poll

Do you think Aaron Rodgers would make a good vice president?
Add a Comment
(Fields are Optional)

Your email address is never published.

Obituaries

Click Here for more Obituaries

Obituary posting fee is $25

Sports Poll

Newsletter

Sign up for our Daily Electronic Newspaper!

Plus, Get the latest updates for Local Sports, Obituaries and more delivered to your inbox!