A Manhattan grand jury has reportedly indicted former President Donald Trump on criminal charges.  According to several national sources, the grand jury voted to indict Trump for his role in paying hush money to Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.   Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen has said in the past that Trump directed him to pay off Daniels for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter.  Trump, who already announced that he would run for election again in 2024, would become the first U.S. president to face criminal charges.  He has said that he would remain in the presidential race even if he were indicted.  The indictment is not public and judges routinely keep charges under wraps until defendants make their initial court appearance.   

No matter which religion you follow, one of the holiest times of the entire year begins in the coming days. Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week with Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem and culminates the following week with Easter. Lutheran churches in Door and Kewaunee counties focused on this week as a part of their midweek Lenten series that allowed pastors to visit with different congregations in the area to share their message. Pastor Matthew Sprunger of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kewaunee says you cannot celebrate the miracle of Easter without reflecting on his final days that are commemorated with Maundy (or Holy) Thursday and Good Friday.

You can contact your local church to learn more about the services they will be holding as Lent comes to a close. The world’s two other major religions will also be celebrating as Christianity’s Holy Week runs April 2nd-9th. Judaism commemorates Passover April 5th-13th and Islam is already involved in its Ramadan celebration, which runs through April 20th.

Destination Sturgeon Bay is helping the snow in your front yard melt with the announcement of its 2023 festivals and special events.

The season kicks off on May 27th and 28th with the 25th edition of the Fine Art Fair, which welcomes over 80 artists to Martin Park to ring in Memorial Day weekend.

June 3rd will mark the start of the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market which will run through October 14th on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon.

The city will welcome holiday weekend revelers to Sunset Park for Sturgeon Bay Celebrates 4th of July with live music and its fireworks display at dusk.

Area businesses will set up outside and offer special deals during the Sail Thru The Avenues Sidewalk Sales on July 27th before it collaborates with the Door County Maritime Museum for its Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show August 4th-6th. 

Sturgeon Bay will celebrate the fall with its Harvest Fest and Street Art Auction on September 16th and its Thrills and Chills Halloween event on October 28th. Destination Sturgeon Bay wraps up the year of celebrations with Christmas by the Bay weekend November 17th-19th.

You can click on this link to learn about this year’s events.

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, you will not have to make an appointment before potentially meeting your new best friend at the Wisconsin Humane Society Door County Campus.

WHS announced on Wednesday that adoption appointments would no longer be needed as of April 1st. Instead, the facility will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and on Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. During these hours, interested owners can meet with a counselor and check out the available animals. Shaina Allen from the Wisconsin Humane Society says the switch is good news for both the animals and their potential owners.

You are encouraged to view the animals online and fill out an adopter profile at this website ahead of time.

A gas leak near 5th Avenue and Oregon Street may have kept you and your neighbors out of homes or in offices for a period of time late Wednesday afternoon.

Construction crews allegedly punctured a gas line just outside of the Door County Government Center after 3 p.m..., releasing a large amount of it into the neighborhood. Personnel from the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department, Sturgeon Bay Police Department, and Door County Emergency Services shut down many of the streets leading to the area out of concern of potentially igniting the gas. Approximately a half dozen homes had to be evacuated and between 20-30 county employees had to shelter in place at the government center until the scene was declared safe. One home even had to be ventilated with the help of a Department of Natural Resources airboat before it was deemed safe enough for people to re-enter. Thanks to the cooperation of local agencies and the wind, Door County Emergency Management and Communication Director Dan Kane thought the response was a success.

Kane says they were able to allow people to return to their homes and leave the Door County Government Center between 6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wisconsin Public Service went from home to home to make sure their home was safe to occupy and that their gas service was restored. 

The Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol are investigating how a 36-year-old Algoma man died in a single-vehicle crash in the Township of Two Rivers Wednesday morning. Emergency personnel in the county responded to County Highway V near Tannery Road in the Town of Two Rivers just before 9:30 a.m. to the scene where a semi-truck had crashed. The preliminary investigation shows that the unidentified man was driving a semi-truck owned by Algoma Lumber Company on County Highway V traveling eastbound when he entered a ditch, causing it to overturn onto its roof. There were no passengers with the truck operator, who was pronounced dead at the scene. More details will be released about the crash as the Wisconsin State Patrol and Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Department continue their investigation.

RELEASE FROM THE MANITOWOC COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

March 29, 2023

Media Release

Manitowoc County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash involving a 36-year-old man from Algoma.

This morning at approximately 9:28 AM, Deputies, EMS, and Fire personnel responded to CTH V east of Tannery Road, within the Township of Two Rivers, regarding a single-vehicle crash.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a 36-year-old man was operating a 2019 Freightliner semi-tractor and loaded trailer unit (owned by Algoma Lumber Company) eastbound on CTH V. The semi unit entered the south ditch, causing the vehicle to overturn onto the roof of its cab.

The 36-year-old operator was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. There were no passengers in the vehicle.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is assisting with the crash investigation. No further information is being released as the crash remains under investigation.

On behalf of the Sheriff’s Office, I offer our deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragic incident.

We would like to thank the following agencies for assisting with this investigation: Mishicot Police Department, Mishicot Fire Department, Mishicot Ambulance, Two Creeks Fire Department, Two Creeks JAWS, Two Creeks first responders, Tisch Mills Fire Department, Town of Two Rivers Fire Department, Two Rivers Ambulance, Wisconsin State Patrol, Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Office, HWY 42 Garage, Manitowoc County Coroner’s Office, and Manitowoc County Joint Dispatch Center.

Dan Hartwig, Sheriff

Manitowoc County

You can give a big Bravo Zulu to two members of the U.S. Coast Guard for their work rescuing a group of ice anglers earlier this year.

BM2 Benjamin Gantman and MK3 Salvatore DelRosario from U.S. Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay recently received the Secretary of Homeland Security Commendation Award for their role in rescuing 11 people stranded on an ice floe near Sherwood Point.

On February 6^th, the U.S. Coast Guard was joined by other local and state agencies to bring the anglers back to shore after they realized they were floating away from the shore.

Photo Credit: BM1 Brent Stallings and the U.S. Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay Facebook Page

The newest place you will find at the top of the State Register of Historic Places is at the bottom of the lake near Baileys Harbor. The Wisconsin Historical Society announced earlier this week that the Emeline Shipwreck would be listed on the State Register of Historic Places.

Built in Michigan during the 1860s, the Emeline was caught in a squall when it was blown over and later sank in 18 feet of water near the Anclam Pier in 1896, according to the Wisconsin Historical Places. WisconsinShipwrecks.org states the vessel had to be dynamited in 1903 to flatten it so it would not be a navigational hazard. Today, the Emeline sits partially buried in the sand. The shipwreck joined the Edward and Mary Davies House in Platteville, Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church of Burr Oak in Farmington, and the Advance Shipwreck in Holland as new entries onto the State Register of Historic Places.

Of the over 2,700 historic sites listed on the state register, 70 are shipwrecks including 15 in Door County. That is the most of any county in the state and one of three with 10 or more shipwrecks (Manitowoc with 13 and Sheboygan with 10) on the State Register of Historic Places. 

Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society

After a successful competition in the YMCA State Gymnastics Championships on March 18, the Door County Strivers are preparing for the YMCA Gymnastic National Championships in June.  The Strivers claimed five individual state titles in Marinette, along with one team title, and one second-place team finish.  Coach Nikki Pollman says the three teams that completed in the state will have 11 individuals now perform at the Nationals.  She shares how the teams more than exceeded expectations this season.

Pollman adds that when the girls compete individually in the nationals, over 2,000 competitors have attended the event in the past.  You can listen to the entire conversation with Pollman on the Y Wednesday Podcast Page by clicking this link.  The state results for the Door County Strivers are posted below.

Excel Silver gymnasts, Lauren Gaida and Delaney Allen led the Striver Excel Silver team to a State Championship Team Title. Gaida earned individual State titles by capturing Gold in the All-around (37.80) and floor exercise (9.75) while Allen captured gold on the uneven bars (9.2). Gaida also earned silver on vault (9.5) and beam (9.3) in the twelve-year-old and over group. Allen grabbed a 7th place medal in the All-around (36.10) and beam (9.1) in the eleven and under group. Evelynn Kelsey added to the team score by earning a silver medal on the vault (9.3), bronze in the All-around (36.70) 7th on bars (9.05) and 8th on beam (9.0). Teammate Greta Virgin earned an 8th place medal on the beam (9.0). Also contributing to the Silver’s success were Keira Clark and Ellie Kelsey. Medals are awarded to the top 30 percent of all competitors. The Silver Team scored 110.50 points to win the Excel Silver State Team Title.
The Striver’s Platinum team returned home with a second place Team Trophy.  Amelia Zoschke led the girls by winning her State Title on floor (9.35) Amelia won silver in the All-around, (34.775) bronze on bars (8.275) and 4th on bean (8.60). teammate Anna Galladro-Ibarra won bronze on floor (9.175) while Shaylyn Asher won a 4th place medal on beam (8.60). The Platinum Team scored a total of 101.7 to secure a second place Team trophy. The team competed with three girls on each event to contribute to the overall Team total. The girls had no room for error, the team was one member short for the competition.
The Level 6 Striver Team finished with a 7th place overall finish scoring 104.4 points.  Portia Hah won bronze on bars, (8.275) Hah placed 9th on beam, (8.95) and 10th in the All-around (34.275). Sophia Sternard medaled in 6th place in the All-around (35.00) and 9th place on vault (8.80), beam, (9.225) and bars (7.925). Amira Anschutz received medals for a 5TH place finish on beam (9.35), 7TH   on vault (8.9), 11th in the All-around (34.675) and 12th on floor (9.075). Estelle Duerst also contributed to the Level 6’s Team success. Shylee Asher was sidelined due to an injury. 

A state grant that will fund an evaluation of the Forestville Millpond drawdown was approved by the Door County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.  The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Planning Grant allows for over $13,000 in funding, after about a $4,600 match by the Soil and Water Conservation Department budget.  Door County Conservationist Greg Coultherst says water samples will be taken from the millpond this summer with a report to be completed next year.  The initial drawdown began in 2019 and drew criticism from some community members including the Friends of the Forestville Dam who charged Door County officials with mismanagement of the process.  Hopes by the county were to improve water quality by staving off invasive species without the costly alternative of dredging.   The county will now assess the impact of the two-year drawdown and complete its findings by the end of 2024 when the grant expires.

Over 140 community members gathered Tuesday evening in Sturgeon Bay to celebrate the successes of the United Way of Door County in the last year during its Annual Meeting and Community Celebration.  Executive Director Amy Kohnle and outgoing President Jason Palmer shared the impact the volunteers and community partners made to raise over $777,000 in 2022, the second-most campaign funds ever raised.  More than 20 United Way agency representatives spoke about their organizations and how they benefit from the monies distributed by the United Way.  The evening wrapped up with Palmer presenting NEW Radio/Door County Daily News and Bryan Mazur the Bob Stiefvater “Magnificent” Volunteer of the Year award.

In accepting the award, Mazur stated  "I am humbled that we were chosen for this honor. It was a true team effort to get this award. Everyone here works hard and does a lot to give back to the community. We look forward to continuing to help this year and for years to come.".  Kohnle shared the United Way of Door County’s Big Bold Goal of reducing ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households over the next five years.  By April 2028, the goal is to have worked with 210 households on unique pathways to decrease the number of ALICE residents in Door County.

The Kewaunee County Wisconsin Farm Technology Days may have happened six years ago, but its impact continues to benefit local students who are beyond the first half of post-secondary education.  The Executive Committee announced the fifth group of local students who all graduated high school will receive scholarship money from the Second Half Scholarship Fund.  Executive Secretary Aerica Bjurstrom says a total of $6,000 was awarded this year and a total of $60,000 will be awarded over a 10-year period.

Students needed to meet specific requirements to apply, including if they or someone from their immediate family was involved in Kewaunee County Farm Technology Days 2017 as a sponsor, volunteer, or vendor. They also needed to have at least a 2.5 GPA and be currently enrolled in post-secondary education school or technical study.

Those awarded include: 

Denmark –

Joe Schlies, a graduate of Denmark High School, attending UW-River Falls and majoring in Agricultural Business.

Kewaunee -

Cierra Brann, a graduate of Kewaunee High School, attending UW-Whitewater and majoring in Business Analytics.

Zac Stangel, a graduate of Kewaunee High School, attending Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Diesel Mechanics.

Luxemburg-Casco -

Brianna Paye, a graduate of Luxemburg-Casco High School, attending UW-River Falls and majoring in Agriculture Business Management.

Aliza Jacobs, a graduate of Luxemburg-Casco High School, attending UW-Platteville and majoring in Agriculture and Technology Education.

Southern Door - Zach Olson, a graduate of Southern Door High School, attending UW-Madison and majoring in Dairy Science.

The Village of Egg Harbor is doing the behind-the-scenes work now so you can drive on an improved State Highway 42 later.

Several items on the Village of Egg Harbor Board’s agenda for Wednesday are related to the much-anticipated road project. First, the board will vote to approve the state/municipal agreement for the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Project the village recently received funds for thanks to federal funding. Governor Tony Evers announced on March 16th that the village would be receiving $1,740,480 in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program funds to improve the traffic flow on State Highway 42. The program offers an 80 percent match for reimbursement on eligible activities. The funds are supposed to be used to encourage transportation projects that improve air quality. 

After reviewing an updated spreadsheet of expected project costs, the village board will then vote on a resolution authorizing $7,355,000 in general obligation bonds for its street improvement projects like STH 42. The board will also look into additional bonds for parking lot improvements and new equipment for the fire department, raising the final total to $7,500,000.

Before adjourning, the village board will meet in closed session to discuss the fallout from a state appeals court ruling earlier this month that decided that the village illegally condemned private property to create a sidewalk near a popular restaurant. The Village of Egg Harbor Board will meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

You can click the link to read the full agenda packet and to join the meeting. 

Destination Door County wants your help to let the nation know what you already do: Door County is a great place to visit. Chicago, Asheville, N.C., Mackinac Island, and Hocking Hills, Ohio are among those competing with Door County for the top spot in the USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards for Best Summer Travel Destination. Door County reached this stage in part because of its 11 lighthouses, cherry picking, the Door County Wine Trail, and its 300 miles of shoreline. Senior Media Relations Manager Jen Rogers says the good word has certainly gotten out over the years thanks to visitors’ word of mouth and travel writers stopping along the way for stories.

You can vote daily from now until April 17th by clicking this link. Winners will be announced on April 28th. As of 9 a.m. Tuesday, Door County was in second place behind Chicago. The 10Best Series from USA Today has given a lot of hardware to Door County over the years, including Best Wisconsin Attraction in 2017 and Best Destination for Fall Foliage in 2019. The Door County Triathlon could be the next winner as they were among the finalists for best triathlon. That announcement will come on April 7th.

Picture courtesy of Dan Eggert and Destination Door County

The cake is gone and the candles have long been blown out, but you will finally get the opportunity to celebrate Salentine Homestead Dairy’s 100th year of operation. Salentine Homestead Dairy in Luxemburg will be formally introduced as the Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm hosts for 2023 at an event to be held next month. Josh, Jennifer, Megan, Caleb, and Molly Salentine were expecting to host thousands of people at their home in 2020 to celebrate the Century Farm status they would receive at the Wisconsin State Fair. The pandemic had other plans, canceling the 2020 event and putting Salentine Homestead Dairy behind Augustian Farms in Kewaunee and Kinnard Highland Farm in Luxemburg in the breakfast hosting queue. Megan says they are not trying to make up for lost time, but she is happy the family gets a chance to make it up.

The introduction of the Salentine family as the Breakfast on the Farm hosts will be one of the highlights of the Celebrate Dairy in Kewaunee County event on April 13th. The event takes the place of the June Dairy Month Kickoff Breakfast. The Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion Committee is looking for volunteers for its Breakfast on the Farm, which will take place on June 18th from 7 a.m. to noon.

Picture courtesy of Salentine Homestead Dairy

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College is down to three finalists for its soon-to-be-vacant president post, and it wants your help to decide who gets chosen. NWTC announced that Dr. Shah Ardalan, Dr. Kristen Raney, and Dr. Katheryn Rogalski are in the running to replace Dr. H. Jeffrey Rafn, who announced his retirement earlier this year after joining the institution over 25 years ago. You can read more about the candidates below.

As a part of the hiring process, each candidate will spend the day on NWTC’s Green Bay campus meeting with faculty, staff, and students. Raney will be on campus on April 4th, followed by Rogalski on April 5th, and Ardalan on April 6th. The public can attend the forums each day from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. both in-person and virtually. You can even submit a question for each of the candidates by March 31st to be asked by clicking this link. The selection of the next NWTC President is expected to be announced by the end of April before they take over the role from Rafn in the summer.

Rafn’s tenure has included plenty of highlights of local worth including the opening of NWTC’s Luxemburg Regional Center in 2003 and the expansion of the Sturgeon Bay campus as a part of a referendum in 2001. NWTC has formed countless partnerships with local high schools and businesses to expand learning opportunities and connect the two for job opportunities.

You can learn more about the search for a new NWTC President by clicking this link.

BIOGRAPHIES FROM NWTC

• Dr. Kathryn Rogalski (PICTURED LEFT) has over 23 years of experience advancing the mission of community and technical colleges. She currently serves as the Vice President of Learning and Chief Academic Officer at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where she leads the Learning Division, including Corporate Training and Economic Development, the Marinette Campus, and the Learning Effectiveness and Early College Departments.

  During her nearly 5 years at NWTC, Kathryn has developed strong internal and external partnerships, led transformational work to improve student success, and built strong teams with an equity-minded focus. She has expanded the college’s Guided Pathways work and added programs aligned with industry and community needs. She is proud to have partnered with the Talent and Culture Division to launch the Teaching and Learning Center in support of faculty professional learning.

  Prior to joining NWTC, Kathryn served as Dean of Business and Social Sciences at Harper College where she led transfer and career programs, the Early Childhood Learning Center and taught in the Psychology Department. She championed efforts to open Harper College’s first Maker Space and Entrepreneurship Center and partnered with industry to create non-traditional Apprenticeships in Business and Insurance. As Dean, Kathryn was a member of the Hispanic Enrollment Task Force team that supported Harper College as an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution. While at Harper, she focused on implementing Guided Pathways, creating career and technical pathways for high school students, building seamless pathways for transfer and growing industry partnerships.

  Kathryn held several positions in the beginning of her career at the College of Lake County (CLC), including Institutional Researcher, Academic Advisor for Social Sciences and Associate Dean in the Social Science Division. She also served as an adjunct faculty, teaching in the Psychology Department for over a decade. During her time at CLC, she worked closely with university partners to increase pathways for seamless transfer for her students. She served on the college’s accreditation team and worked to improve systems at the institution to support faculty and students.

  Kathryn recently completed the Aspen Rising President Fellowship, holds a Doctor of Education in Adult and Higher Education from Northern Illinois University, a Master of Arts in Social Sciences from The University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Northeastern Illinois University.

  Kathryn and her family are longtime residents of Wisconsin and prior to moving to Northeast Wisconsin, Kathryn spent 20 years in Southeast Wisconsin where she and her husband Chris raised their three children Jon, Albert, and Cora. Kathryn and her husband currently reside in Forestville, Wisconsin and enjoy spending time outdoors in the beauty of Northeast Wisconsin.

•  

  Dr. Kristen Raney (PICTURED MIDDLE) has advanced student success and equity in technical and community colleges for more than twenty years. She currently serves as the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC), in Davenport, IA, where she leads the academic division and institutional accreditation for the multi-college district.

  Dr. Raney has significant experience in both academic and student affairs. She previously worked at Saint Paul College in St. Paul, MN, where she served as dean of students and interim vice president of student affairs before becoming the vice president of academic affairs. Highlights of her work include leading a multi-year effort to redesign assessment of student learning and program review processes; establishing a department of faculty development and innovation; implementing a guided pathway advising model; and strengthening shared governance practices.

  Her career began as a part-time instructional assistant at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) in Eau Claire, WI. She held a range of positions in her twelve years at CVTC, from faculty to dean of academic development and services. As dean, Dr. Raney implemented new models of integrated academic support, introduced culturally responsive teaching practices, established a new model for adult basic education, and expanded support and outreach services across the CVTC district.

  Dr. Raney is driven by her belief that education transforms lives and strengthens communities. She is widely recognized as a visionary leader who approaches her work with transparency, integrity, and empathy. Dr. Raney has been a Peer Reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission since 2019. She participated in the Aspen Fellowship for the Rising Future Presidents institute in 2021-2022.

  Dr. Raney earned a doctorate of education in higher education and leadership studies from Edgewood College; a master of science in education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout; and a bachelor of arts in English from St. Cloud State University.

• Dr. Shah Ardalan (PICTURED RIGHT) has invested over 30 years in executive and pivotal roles at global corporations, distinguished universities, and prominent community colleges in North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas.

  Ardalan joined Lone Star College System as Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer (CIO) in January 2008 and has been serving as Lone Star College-University Park’s founding President since 2012.

  Ardalan is considered one of the nation’s leading higher education and technology visionaries recognized for impactful innovation through inclusion and building transformational teams and partnerships to advance equity and socio-economic mobility.

  As a servant leader, Ardalan has developed many leaders and served over 800,000 students, faculty, staff, and businesses as an Instructor, Research Associate, Director of Business Development, Associate Vice President, Special Assistant to President, Vice President, Chief Information Officer, Vice Chancellor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and College President.

  Multiple honors and awards have been presented from industry, community, government, and service organizations in recognition of Ardalan’s commitment to education, student success, technology, workforce growth, and economic development. Ardalan serves on several local and national boards and his contributions are reflected in over 100 national and international conferences, articles, case studies, and books.

  Dr. Ardalan’s academic credentials include a doctoral degree in Community College Leadership, a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, and a bachelor of science degree in Physics. He also holds multiple diplomas and certificates from the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) and Harvard University.

With the spring election one week away, you may need to visit your local DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) office.  A valid and compliant photo identification card, like a driver’s license, federal passport, state ID, military ID, or student ID, is needed to vote in Wisconsin.  You can receive a free state identification card by going to your local DMV and filling out the proper paperwork.  Certain documents, such as a birth certificate, proof of identity, and Wisconsin residency, are necessary to obtain an official Wisconsin ID card.  In Door County, the DMV service center is in the Bay Ridge Square in Sturgeon Bay and is open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Kewaunee County’s DMV service center is on 4th Street in Algoma and is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m.  If you need to register to vote and want to avoid a possible line at your polling place, the deadline to register in person at your municipal clerk’s office is March 31st.  

Kewaunee County could see an influx of thousands of visitors come by water this summer, and it wants you to be prepared when it happens. Several ships from Viking Cruises will lower their anchors near Algoma this summer, letting loose visitors to gallivant through the peninsula looking for things to see and do and with money to spend.

Algoma is listed as part of a 15-day excursion through the Great Lakes. Viking Expeditions will offer six “Great Lakes Collection” cruises that will take passengers between Duluth, Minnesota and Toronto, Ontario during the months of June, July, August, and September. Algoma marks the halfway point of the excursion with the cruise line offering side trips to check out Lambeau Field, explore Moonlight Bay by kayak, hike the Niagara Escarpment, paddle through Ellison Bay and the Mink River Estuary, and sample the area’s wine and cheese.

The Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation is helping businesses and residents get ready with an event on March 30th called, “Preparing for Impact: How to Prepare for Cruise Ship Visitors.” Executive Director Ben Nelson says it is a great opportunity for the community to ask the questions they have about what to expect once the ships arrive in Algoma this summer. Those topics include how to market your business to cruise ship passengers, how to create a welcoming atmosphere that encourages repeat visits, and how to ensure the community is ready to welcome them ashore.

The session will take place on March 30th at 2 p.m. at the Algoma City Council Chambers. You can click this link to sign up. 

If you have noticed more airplanes traveling to and from Green Bay in recent weeks, you are certainly not alone. Through the first few months of 2023, passenger traffic at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport is up 15 percent compared to 2022 levels. That falls in line with the rest of the airline industry across the country which has also seen growth in passenger travel in 2023. Airport Director Marty Piette said earlier this month that airlines are taking notice, whether it be new flights or bigger planes.

Things may be even more impressive for cargo flights at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport. They have seen cargo traffic more than double since last year.  Similar to its passenger traffic, carriers are looking at additional ways to expand their operations in the coming months.

Kewaunee and Door Counties will likely head into April two months removed from their last appearance outside of the low COVID-19 community-level standards set by the Centers for Disease Control.

As of Friday, eight counties were at least at the medium COVID-19 community level with Oneida and Forest counties listed at the high level. Closer to home, the Door County Public Health Department announced it had nine positive cases of COVID-19 out of 32 total tests excluding those performed with at-home kits. There was one new hospitalization reported but no new deaths. In Kewaunee County, Cindy Kinnard for its public health department told the county board during its meeting that it has been averaging between 10 to 15 new cases of COVID-19 a week. It also saw two additional deaths due to COVID-19 over the last month, increasing its count since the beginning of the pandemic to 61. In both cases, Kinnard says the people were older and vaccinated, but they also had significant health issues. She told the board that COVID-19 is here to stay.

The state Department of Health Services will end its community testing support program on April 15th as more people are relying on at-home kits rather than going to their doctor’s office or pharmacy. It comes as the COVID-19 pandemic will no longer be considered a federal public health emergency in May.

A Kewaunee County farm has opted to end one of its legal battles with the state by paying over $200,000 in fines.

According to the Associated Press, Kinnard Farms and the Wisconsin Department of Justice settled one of its suits on Friday, which alleged that the operation improperly spread manure in Kewaunee and Door counties between 2018 and 2022, failed to submit an engineering evaluation for a feed storage area, and failed to timely submit annual nutrient management plan updates. The settlement calls for Kinnard Farms to pay $215,000 in fines and upgrade a pair of waste storage facilities and a feed storage area. The agreement allows the operation to pay forfeitures, surcharges, and fees without the admission of wrongdoing.

In a statement prepared by Lee Kinnard of Kinnard Farms, he said:

“For the sake of our family, our fifth-generation dairy and crop farming business, and our relationship with the DNR, we decided it is time to move forward with a settlement, avoiding a lengthy and costly dispute. Our family remains committed to working constructively with regulatory agencies as we continue our use of science-based practices to produce nutritious food while also being highly protective of our precious water and soil resources, our cows, and our community. We continue to innovate daily through our use of climate-smart practices. Our family prides itself on being a leader in regenerative agriculture. For decades, we have utilized practices such as cover cropping to build healthy soil and no-till planting to reduce erosion, and have incorporated industry-leading sand and water recycling technology, as well as a system that allows for the production of renewable natural gas. We look forward to pursuing state-of-the-art manure management technology that will allow our family to remain on the cutting edge of conservation and further protect and improve water quality.” 

Kinnard Farms sued the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources last year for what they saw to be unfair conditions for their permit including herd limits and groundwater monitoring. That suit is still pending. 

You could assist a family in need by donating items to Help of Door County. The Sturgeon Bay-based organization is focused on helping victims of domestic abuse by helping them get restraining orders and moving them out of abusive environments as well as providing support groups for families and friends of victims. Help of Door County is dependent on donations of items like period products, baby products, cleaning supplies, and gift cards to help clients get back on their feet. If you can’t donate, there are more ways to help, volunteers are always needed at Help of Door County. Ava, a domestic violence advocate talks about how to get involved. 

For more information on how to donate or volunteer, click this link.

Kewaunee service organizations are collectively working together to provide after-school snack packages in the Kewaunee School District for children of impoverished families.  The Kewaunee Rotary, Optimist, and Lions clubs are working with Lakeshore Community Food Pantry to provide about 90 bags of nutritious snacks weekly for the Storm Snack Pack Program for students from kindergarten through 5th grade at Kewaunee Elementary School.  Kewaunee Rotary Club President Wendy Shelton and member Joe Viau share how the program has made a big impact over the past few years with the incredible help of the community.

The program originated about five years ago when the Kewaunee Optimist Club recognized a significant need in the Kewaunee area to address a food insecurity for nutritious meals for children over the weekend.  Through matching grants and community genorisity, the Storm Snack Pack Program was implemented about a year and one-half later. The snack packs are typically arranged on Thursday afternoons and are discreetly placed in the student’s lockers before the end of the school week.  

When it comes to STEM education in Door County, you have likely heard the name Miranda Dahlke. A teacher at Washington Island. She has helped the school receive thousands of dollars in grants and training sessions through the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow program. She is also one of the supervisors for the school’s SeaPerch Challenge teams, which last qualified for the international competition hosted at the University of Maryland. Earlier this month, Dahlke was named a finalist for the 2023 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She was originally not going to apply, saying she want to build up her growing resume even more. She then decided the personal growth she has experienced in her 12 years of teaching was enough to at least try.

Dahlke says they should announce the winners of the award in the coming weeks. One awardee in mathematics and one awardee in science may receive a $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation and professional development opportunities, along with being honored at an award ceremony in Washington D.C.

The Climate Change Coalition of Door County and other environmental organizations are inviting you to dig deep to celebrate Earth Day this year. Partnering with The Nature Conservancy and the Forest Recovery Project, the Climate Change Coalition of Door County hopes to plant 10,000 trees during the months of April and May as part of this year’s Door County Big Plant. The organizations have teamed up on more than 25 community planting as a part of the Door County Big Plant since it held its first such event in 2016. By planting a collection of balsam fir, red pine, white pine, and white spruce trees, residents can help fight climate change while also providing habitat to area animals, preventing soil erosion, and protecting groundwater. You can learn more about the program below.

The Door County Big Plant is not the only environmentally-friendly activity the Climate Change Coalition of Door County is organizing in the coming weeks. The organization is rallying people to look into solar energy and potentially participate in a group buy of solar panels.  You can find out more about that event below.