Listen Live

Podcast

Videos

Daily Brief

News

Kewaunee boat crash victims identified

The Kewaunee Police Department shared its condolences and gratitude following a fatal boat crash earlier this week. The accident occurred about 4:30 a.m. along the north breakwall near the Kewaunee Lighthouse Pier.

 

An 81-year-old Appleton man, identified Thursday as Jimmie D. Brooks, was driving his 18-foot fishing boat out of Kewaunee Harbor when it struck the south side of the north breakwall. He suffered fatal injuries in the crash, and his body was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard.

 

His passenger, 68-year-old Randy H. Sieg of Appleton, was rescued, taken to shore and treated for his injuries by Kewaunee Rescue. The Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, Kewaunee Marina and Kewaunee Public Works Department also assisted in the rescue effort.

 

In Thursday’s release, Kewaunee Police Chief Robin Mueller extended her sympathies to the victims’ families and expressed gratitude to the responding agencies and other boaters who assisted in recovering Brooks’ and Sieg’s personal property.

Former Luxemburg-Casco principal to be honored with street dedication

A trip down the road between Stodola’s IGA and the middle and high school buildings will carry a new, special meaning Friday when School Street is renamed Okoniewski Way.

 

The side street is being dedicated to the late Steve Okoniewski, who served as Luxemburg-Casco High School principal from 1989 until 2014. It was a homecoming of sorts for Okoniewski, whose six-year NFL career included a two-season stint with the Green Bay Packers in 1974 and 1975.

 

His retirement did not stop him from supporting the Spartans, as he continued to attend school events and athletic competitions. When he died in 2024, Luxemburg-Casco head wrestling coach Chas Treml said “Mr. O” had a tremendous impact on his life as a student and coach. Treml added that a picture of the two hugging after the Spartans captured a team state wrestling championship says everything.

 

 

 

Athletic Director Jenny Bandow said renaming School Street after the man who hired her is a fitting tribute to someone whose influence extended well beyond the school’s walls.

 

“Mr. O was known as a leader who believed in people. He admired the community-minded spirit and strong work ethic of the greater Luxemburg area – values that aligned perfectly with his own approach to education and leadership. Under his guidance, Luxemburg-Casco High School continued to foster a culture of excellence, pride and opportunity for every student.”

 

School Street will be renamed Okoniewski Way on Friday.


Door County Pickleball Club making progress on Egg Harbor courts

No matter the size of the donation, each one gets the Door County Pickleball Club closer to what members believe will be an ace for the Egg Harbor community. The club began its $500,000 fundraising effort earlier this summer and has already garnered approximately $160,000 in pledges for a pickleball facility that will feature six state-of-the-art courts near the Egg Harbor dog park.

 

When completed, it will be the county’s largest facility designed solely for pickleball. Door County Pickleball Club President Don Helm says not only will it give players in the northern part of the peninsula a closer place to play than Sturgeon Bay and Institute, but he believes it will also bring a boost in tourism to the area.

 

 

 

If fundraising goes according to plan, Helm says construction will begin in early spring, with hopes of the first matches taking place on the new courts by July 1.

 

To donate, you can drop off cash or checks at the Village of Egg Harbor and indicate that the donation is for the pickleball courts.

City explores expansion of downtown entertainment district

You could soon have a little more room to walk around with a drink in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

 

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will review and consider an expansion of the area that allows residents and visitors to walk around downtown with an open alcoholic beverage. The district was born out of the pandemic, when area restaurants were looking for ways to increase sales at a time when people were uneasy about going out.

 

District 4 Alderperson Spencer Gustafson helped design the current ordinance in response to requests from local businesses and Destination Sturgeon Bay. Some concerns residents had about the downtown entertainment district involved littering and law enforcement. Gustafson says that based on feedback from the Sturgeon Bay Police Department, there have been no issues and, in fact, conditions have improved.

 

 

 

The proposed expansion of the downtown entertainment district includes areas where new restaurants have opened since the pandemic, additional portions of the waterfront and the footprint of the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market.

 

Gustafson says if the proposal makes it through committee and Common Council meetings next month, the new boundaries could be in effect by Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Harvest Fest on Sept. 19.

 

 


Home comfort helps residents Feel the Love

In a family’s lowest moments, it is the simplest things that can make a difference. Lennox’s Feel the Love program has helped communities since 2009 by partnering with local contractors to install furnaces and air conditioners free of charge for those who need them most.

 

It is a program that Ultimate Air in Luxemburg has been part of for close to 15 years. Owner Jeff Blemke believes some of his favorite days on the job have come during Feel the Love installation days, especially when watching his employees’ families interact with the recipients of the equipment.

 

He says one of the most powerful moments came when his team gathered around a recipient in his hospital bed at home. The man thanked them, knowing he would not get to experience the comfort of the new furnace for long because of his battle with cancer.

 

 

 

You can nominate a friend, neighbor or family member for the Lennox Feel the Love program at this link. Nominations close Aug. 31, with the units installed in early October. More than 3,100 families have been supported by the Lennox Feel the Love program since it began in 2009.

Corn starting to reach maturity ahead of harvest

Area farmers are beginning to see signs that the corn harvest is right around the corner. According to the USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report, 9% of the state’s corn crop is in the dent stage, which is the final major phase of maturity.

 

Northeast Wisconsin is trailing the southern portion of the state, which is driving up the statewide average. In northeast Wisconsin, 1% of the crop is in the dent stage, compared with 36% in the dough stage and 96% in the silking phase. Corn condition is rated 67% good to excellent, down 2 percentage points.

 

Duane Ducat of Deer Run Dairy in Kewaunee has been focusing on his third crop of alfalfa hay, which is about 85% complete statewide, compared with the five-year average of 79%. Ducat says that with much of the corn crop still in development, his plants can use more water than heat at this point in the season.

 

 

 

Ducat adds that underdeveloped corn takes nutritional value away from what they feed their cows once it is chopped into silage.

 

 

 

Soybean development and the harvest of winter wheat and oats are ahead of the five-year average. Wisconsin farmers had 5.9 days suitable for fieldwork last week, with some producers chopping corn in northern counties because of the warm, dry conditions.


Data centers take center stage in upcoming DCEC discussion

Midwest Environmental Advocates legal fellow Michael Greif has spent plenty of time along Lake Michigan’s shoreline, and he would rather not see the scenery around it change without the proper notification. Greif will sound the alarm Friday at Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay when he presents “Protecting Public Rights in Age of Privatization,” which will take a look at the looming threat of data center construction.

 

The presentation, hosted by the Door County Environmental Council, comes as AI data centers become a major talking point in political races around the state and after a Marquette Law School poll showed 73% of Wisconsinites believe the costs outweigh the benefits. Proponents of data center construction point to increases in local tax revenue and construction jobs, while opponents say the facilities are bad for the environment and consumers’ pocketbooks. Greif says it is important for communities to get all the facts before AI data centers are built in their backyards.

 

 

 

Greif’s presentation Friday begins at 7 p.m. If you cannot attend the presentation in person, the Door County Environmental Council will make it available remotely via Zoom at this link.

Midsummer's Music's Berkenstock to receive Boynton Creative Spirit Award

A familiar venue for Midsummer’s Music musicians and fans will be the site of a special moment for the organization’s founder and artistic director. As part of this year’s Boynton Festival at Bjorklunden in Baileys Harbor, Lawrence University will honor Jim Berkenstock with its prestigious Winifred Boynton Creative Spirit Award.

 

Presented since 2017, the award honors individuals who have created something with a lasting impact on Door County. That description applies to Berkenstock, who, along with his late wife, Jean, founded Midsummer’s Music more than 30 years ago to bring chamber music to the peninsula.

 

That mission grew to include the Griffon String Quartet, which was created in 2018 not only to perform but also to help foster a love of chamber music in classrooms in Door and Brown counties.

 

The 2 p.m. award ceremony is part of a larger Boynton Festival lineup that includes mini-seminars, live music, a Door Shakespeare performance and more on Aug. 22. You can find more details about the event, including registration, at this link.

Health officials urge vaccinations ahead of upcoming school year

You are running out of time to get your kids protected against diseases like measles, mumps and whooping cough ahead of the school year. In Wisconsin, children are required to be vaccinated against certain diseases based on their age and grade level unless their family has filed a waiver.

 

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the state is lagging behind the rest of the country when it comes to children being up to date on their vaccinations. Just over 85% of Wisconsin kindergartners are up to date on the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, and approximately 86% are up to date on the vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

 

Both numbers are down compared with recent years, corresponding with an uptick in parental exemptions. The exemption rate hit a 10-year high of 7.3% during the 2025-26 school year. With a 97% efficacy rate, Kewaunee County Public Health Director Cindy Kinnard says the required vaccinations have been proven safe and encourages families to get their kids vaccinated ahead of the school year.

 

 

 

Kinnard says schools keep track of students’ vaccination histories, and if students fall behind, their families are reminded by letter to get caught up. The Kewaunee County Public Health Department will hold an open vaccination clinic in October, though Kinnard encourages families to schedule an appointment with the department or their medical provider ahead of time.

 

The reminder comes as the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reports 36 confirmed and three probable cases of measles in Grant, Lafayette and Iowa counties.

Moon Over Buffalo opens at Peninsula Players Wednesday

The story of two stage actors chasing Hollywood stardom one last time will take the stage the next time you visit Peninsula Players Theatre in Fish Creek.

 

Starring Aja Alcazar, Joe Casey, James David Larson and Garrett Lutz, among others, Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo is set in 1950s New York, where George and Charlotte Hay learn that director Frank Capra will be in the audience for a matinee. They must weather several twists and turns involving their performance and marriage before taking the stage for what could be their final chance to make it big.

 

Peninsula Players Marketing Director Peter Kelly says the comedy is a love letter to theater and strikes a chord with the actors involved in the show.

 

 

 

The penultimate show of the Peninsula Players Theatre season runs Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m., except for a 2 p.m. performance Sunday, Sept. 6. You can hear our full interview with Peter Kelly here.

 

Southern Door School District approves second referendum vote

Voters in the Southern Door School District will have an extra item on their ballots this fall. On Monday, the Southern Door School Board passed the resolutions required to ask voters to exceed the revenue limit by $2.055 million per year for three years.

 

“After engaging with our community in recent months and careful consideration, the Board of Education has taken the next step in allowing our voters to consider a referendum measure in November,” said Superintendent Dr. Kevin Krutzik. “This proposal is about investing in our schools in ways that will strengthen educational opportunities for our students while helping position Southern Door for continued success in the years ahead.”

 

This marks the second time the district’s voters have weighed in on an operational referendum, after rejecting a measure in April that would have allowed the district to exceed the state revenue limit by $3.15 million annually for three years.

 

More than a dozen positions were cut, including one elementary school teacher, two middle school teachers and five high school teachers. A pay freeze was instituted for all employees, co-curricular assignment pay and travel were cut, and computer and student device replacements were delayed. Three sports programs were also cut but were later reinstated with support from the Southern Door Athletic Booster Club.

 

By passing the new referendum, the district hopes it can provide market-rate pay raises for staff, fund essential facility repairs and maintenance, and restore select teaching positions.

 

“Balancing the district’s budget required our board to make many difficult decisions, and we know those decisions have had an impact on our staff and our students,” said Board President Janel Veeser. “We are hopeful that a new operational referendum will provide the financial means to restore some of the staff positions and programming that were lost because we want to give our students the opportunities, support, and resources they need to succeed.”

 

District officials say that even if the referendum passes, the mill rate will drop from its current $6.99 per $1,000 of equalized value to $6.35 for the upcoming school year, $6.07 for the 2027-28 school year and $5.61 for the 2028-29 school year.

 

The referendum will appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.

Kewaunee County looking for its next Junior Fairest of the Fair

Now that county fair season is officially over for Door and Kewaunee counties, the search for the next Fairest and Junior Fairest of the Fair in Kewaunee County is on. The Kewaunee County Fair has opened its application window for its Junior Fairest of the Fair title.

 

This year’s Fairest, Savannah Bailey, and Junior Fairest, Teresa Livingstone, crisscrossed the county attending events and promoting the Kewaunee County Fair, in addition to passing out ribbons, visiting with exhibitors and sponsors, and introducing entertainment acts.

 

Bailey became the most recent Fairest to pull double duty for the Kewaunee County Fair after serving as Junior Fairest in 2019. During this year’s Kewaunee County Fair, Bailey said she enjoyed meeting community members and getting a different view of the livestock shows after years of exhibiting animals in the show ring herself.

 

 

 

Kewaunee County Junior Fairest of the Fair applicants must be in grades 6 through 10, be able to participate in the Fairest Gala on Jan. 8, 2027, and attend events throughout the county, including the Kewaunee County Fair July 8-11, 2027.

 

You can find the application and more details about the role at this link. The application for Kewaunee County Fairest of the Fair will be available in the coming weeks.

Giving HOPE to those looking for employment

For many individuals, finding a job is a lot harder than just filling out an application. According to We are HOPE, Inc.-The EmployAbility Hub Executive Director Kim Carley, disabilities, age, justice status and a lack of confidence are just some of the reasons people who want to work struggle to find the right fit or keep the jobs they already have.

 

She says summer is a busy time because there are so many opportunities available that some people just do not know where to start. Carley says We are HOPE’s programming helps people find the tools and confidence they need to get the jobs they desire.

 

 

 

We are HOPE, Inc.-The EmployAbility Hub is in the middle of its annual campaign, with a goal of raising $50,000 to continue supporting the community through career exploration, job training and employment services.

 

One of its biggest fundraisers is the Grub at the Hub event on Sept. 29. You can find more information about the event below.

 

Appleton man dies in Kewaunee boating accident

An 81-year-old Appleton man died and a 68-year-old Appleton man was injured in a boating accident in Kewaunee on Monday morning.

 

The accident occurred at about 4:30 a.m. along the north breakwall near the Kewaunee Lighthouse Pier. According to the initial investigation, the 81-year-old man was driving his 18-foot fishing boat out of Kewaunee Harbor when it struck the south side of the north breakwall.

 

He suffered fatal injuries in the crash, and his body was recovered by the U.S. Coast Guard. His passenger was rescued, taken to land and treated for his injuries by Kewaunee Rescue.

 

No names have been released, and the crash remains under investigation by the Kewaunee Police Department and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

 

The Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, Kewaunee Marina and Kewaunee Public Works Department also assisted in the rescue efforts.

Ephraim introduces new summer event on Saturday

The same community that welcomes summer in June with its Fyr Bal will bid it farewell Saturday when Ephraim hosts its first Sweet Summer Send-Off at Harborside Park.

 

Running from 1 to 4 p.m., the event will feature balloon artists, caricaturists and musicians throughout the park, in addition to red bouncy balls that are part of a scavenger hunt. Attendees can also check out food at local restaurants and visit with members of the Ephraim Fire Department.

 

The event is free to attend, but visitors are encouraged to bring school supplies to be distributed at schools throughout Door County as part of the countywide Community Business Association school supply drive.

 

Ephraim’s Sweet Summer Send-Off comes just over a week before many schools around the state begin classes, with most public schools starting Sept. 1.

Green Bay motorcyclist seriously injured in Brussels

A 53-year-old Green Bay woman was transported to a Green Bay hospital Sunday afternoon after she lost control of her motorcycle and crashed in the town of Brussels.

 

The crash occurred just before 4:20 p.m. on State Highway 57 near School Road. According to the accident report, the motorcyclist was traveling south when she attempted to change lanes and lost control.

 

She crashed in the median and was unable to recall the incident when speaking with responding personnel. She was wearing a helmet and protective gear when the crash occurred.

 

The crash closed a lane of traffic for about 40 minutes while emergency personnel tended to the motorcyclist and cleared the scene. The lane reopened shortly after 5 p.m.

Ellison Bay man struck by vehicle at gas station

A 73-year-old Ellison Bay man suffered scratches and bruises to his knee after he was struck by a vehicle backing up Saturday in Baileys Harbor.

 

According to the accident report, the man was walking near the gas pumps at approximately 10 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle driven by a 50-year-old Joliet, Illinois, woman who was backing into a parking spot.

 

The impact caused the man to grab the vehicle’s rear windshield wiper for balance before falling. He was treated at the scene and declined transportation to the hospital.

 

The driver, who said she did not see the man in her backup camera, was warned for failing to yield the right of way to a pedestrian.

Four injured in two-vehicle Egg Harbor accident

A 71-year-old Sister Bay woman was cited for her role in a two-vehicle crash in the town of Egg Harbor on Friday. The crash occurred at the intersection of County Highway E and Heritage Lake Road just before noon.

 

According to the accident report, the woman was stopped on Heritage Lake Road and was looking to cross County Highway E while heading north when she pulled out in front of an eastbound vehicle driven by a 20-year-old Eau Claire woman.

 

The Sister Bay woman told the deputy she looked but did not see the other vehicle coming. The Eau Claire woman said she saw the vehicle pulling out slowly but could not avoid the crash.

 

Both drivers and two passengers, both 21-year-old women from River Falls, suffered possible injuries that did not require hospitalization. Both vehicles had to be towed because of disabling damage.

 

The Sister Bay woman was cited for failing to yield the right of way from a stop sign.

Election officials praise high turnout in fall primary

If last Tuesday was any indication, poll workers in Door and Kewaunee counties are going to be even busier in November when the general election comes around.

 

Both counties saw strong turnout in the fall primary, with about 40% of registered voters in Kewaunee County and 50% in Door County casting ballots. Both figures were much higher than the statewide voter turnout of 27%, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

 

Kewaunee County Clerk Jamie Annoye and Door County Clerk Jill Lau said the evening went smoothly for their municipal clerks and poll workers despite the higher-than-usual number of voters.

 

Annoye said communication was especially important for this election because it was a partisan primary, meaning voters casting a ballot in the Democratic primary could not weigh in on the Kewaunee County sheriff’s race, which featured only Republican candidates.

 

 

 

Lau said fall primary participation has been increasing since 2020 and added that Tuesday’s record turnout is an indicator of how busy the Nov. 3 general election could be.

 

 

 

Sept. 17 is the next major date to keep in mind, as that is when municipal clerks must send absentee ballots to voters with an active request on file. Otherwise, the deadline to register to vote by mail or online is Oct. 14, and in-person absentee voting will take place from Oct. 20 through Nov. 1.

Fair a culmination of work well done

There was plenty to see and do over the five days of the Door County Fair, but a trip through the exhibition halls and barns told a much longer story. More than 6,000 exhibits were entered in this year’s Door County Fair, ranging from Lego sculptures and pottery to photographs and paintings.

 

 

Just next door, dozens of animals took up residence for the week after their exhibitors spent weeks, if not months, caring for them and ensuring they were ready for show day. Keegan and Kinsley Schopf, two of the fair’s younger exhibitors, spent lots of time walking with their goats to prepare them for the Door County Fair. The pair enjoy spending time with their animals while also getting a chance to go on some rides in between.

 

 

Parker Lacrosse’s time with his beef steers yielded him not just blue ribbons but a buyer during Saturday’s Door County Quality Market Animal Sale. He says it can be hard to say goodbye after so much time together, but he understands it is just part of the deal at the fair.

 

 

The Door County Fair wraps up Sunday after five days of food, fun and music. The more than 150-year-old tradition will return next August to John Miles County Park in Sturgeon Bay.

 

Sales tax ordinance gets second reading in Kewaunee County

The Kewaunee County Board is one step away from removing the sunset provision for its 0.5% county sales tax. The ordinance was previously read at the board’s July meeting, paving the way for its potential passage Tuesday when the Kewaunee County Board meets in Kewaunee.

 

The 0.5% sales tax was instituted by the Kewaunee County Board in 2017 and extended for another five years in 2021. The amended ordinance removes the Dec. 31, 2026, sunset date, an action required to take place at least 120 days before the original repeal date. The amended ordinance would still allow a future Kewaunee County Board to repeal the tax.

 

Keeping the sales tax in place would also keep Kewaunee County among the 70 Wisconsin counties that have one, with Waukesha and Winnebago counties the lone exceptions. Speaking after last month’s meeting, Kewaunee County Board Chairperson Dan Olson said that although he is not a fan of the tax, repealing it would leave a giant hole in the county’s budget.

 

 

 

The Kewaunee County Board will also weigh in on a petition for bridge aid in the town of Red River and the purchase of real property in the town of Casco, in addition to hearing from Finance Director Paul Kunesh, Clerk of Courts Rebecca Deterville and Administrator Jeremy Kral. Tuesday’s meeting begins at 6 p.m.

Sheriff weighs in on license plate reader debate

There have been some significant concerns surrounding a new technology that is being incorporated for the purpose of enhanced public safety. The technology is known as LPRs or License Plate Readers, and it consists of fixed cameras along public roadways, by which any and all vehicles traveling on those roadways are subject to their vehicle license plate information being scanned and subsequently stored in a data base.

    

As you can imagine having a data base of not just vehicle information, but also the associated travel activity could and has been of great value in the investigation of crimes. We have seen similar technologies such as ring door bell, and CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) be of great use as we work to solve crimes, protect victims, and keep our communities safe. It is that last word that I want to focus on in this article; Safe. What does it mean to be safe? To what levels are we willing to go to in the pursuit of safety? How do we strike a balance between our desire for safety, while sustaining the freedoms we cherish so dearly.

   

Freedom by its nature is a risky proposition. For every decision we make, we take a certain risk. From driving vehicles, to riding a bike or going for a walk. Even in our daily habits of how we spend or invest our money. Each action brings with it, an associated risk. There are some who would say that we need greater restrictions, or more regulations in the name safety. There are many who yearn for a reality whereby pain, suffering, or discomfort could be eliminated by the increased intervention of government. As law enforcement officers, our purpose and mission is rooted in the pursuit of keeping our communities safe. Each time there is an auto accident, a theft, or tragic incident, we look inward, and ask how could we have prevented such a thing from happening. In most cases however, the answer is, we can’t. Many times, the best we can do is respond, and provide as much dignity and respect to the victims, while conducting the most professional and thorough investigation in pursuit of justice.

    

The truth of the matter is that we live in a free country, and that freedom brings with it risks and dangers. Although a utopian dream of safety at all costs may be alluring, we must guard against that utopia stripping us of the freedoms that make life worth living, and allow us each to live out our life’s purpose.

    

The application of any tactic or technology by those who serve the public, must always strike that important balance between the safety of that community, and the preservation of the God given freedom of that same community.

   

As the great Ben Franklin once stated. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”There have been some significant concerns surrounding a new technology that is being incorporated for the purpose of enhanced public safety. The technology is known as LPRs or License Plate Readers, and it consists of fixed cameras along public roadways, by which any and all vehicles traveling on those roadways are subject to their vehicle license plate information being scanned and subsequently stored in a data base.

    

As you can imagine having a data base of not just vehicle information, but also the associated travel activity could and has been of great value in the investigation of crimes. We have seen similar technologies such as ring door bell, and CCTV (Closed Circuit TV) be of great use as we work to solve crimes, protect victims, and keep our communities safe. It is that last word that I want to focus on in this article; Safe. What does it mean to be safe? To what levels are we willing to go to in the pursuit of safety? How do we strike a balance between our desire for safety, while sustaining the freedoms we cherish so dearly.

   

Freedom by its nature is a risky proposition. For every decision we make, we take a certain risk. From driving vehicles, to riding a bike or going for a walk. Even in our daily habits of how we spend or invest our money. Each action brings with it, an associated risk. There are some who would say that we need greater restrictions, or more regulations in the name safety. There are many who yearn for a reality whereby pain, suffering, or discomfort could be eliminated by the increased intervention of government. As law enforcement officers, our purpose and mission is rooted in the pursuit of keeping our communities safe. Each time there is an auto accident, a theft, or tragic incident, we look inward, and ask how could we have prevented such a thing from happening. In most cases however, the answer is, we can’t. Many times, the best we can do is respond, and provide as much dignity and respect to the victims, while conducting the most professional and thorough investigation in pursuit of justice.

    

The truth of the matter is that we live in a free country, and that freedom brings with it risks and dangers. Although a utopian dream of safety at all costs may be alluring, we must guard against that utopia stripping us of the freedoms that make life worth living, and allow us each to live out our life’s purpose.

    

The application of any tactic or technology by those who serve the public, must always strike that important balance between the safety of that community, and the preservation of the God given freedom of that same community.

   

As the great Ben Franklin once stated. “Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Door County preparing for the unknown with budget talks

Door County Administrator Ken Pabich says uncertainty and anticipation about the future are among the hardest parts of crafting the county’s 2027 budget.

 

Door County, like other municipalities across the state, is in the early stages of budget planning, with details expected to be shared at upcoming meetings before the budget is ultimately approved in November.

 

On Aug. 25, Door County officials will hold a budget session following the regular County Board meeting. Officials will try to nail down the details before sending the budget to committees for their input.

 

One major expense on the horizon is actually planned for 2028, when the county hopes to begin work on its new emergency communications system.

 

What Pabich does not know yet is what impact the "One Big Beautiful Bill" could have on the county’s Health and Human Services Department and what the state budget could look like with a new governor on the way.

 

 

 

Kewaunee County officials will also begin sharing details of their budget at upcoming meetings, with a public hearing already scheduled for Oct. 20.

Wheat, oat harvest wrapping up quickly

The summer harvest of wheat and oats is coming to a quick conclusion thanks to favorable weather for farmers.

 

According to the USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report, farmers had 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork last week, with some much-needed rainfall in southern Wisconsin bringing down the statewide average.

 

The weather allowed farmers to make considerable progress on their harvests, with the oat harvest jumping from 41 percent complete to 57 percent and the winter wheat harvest going from 69 percent complete to 85 percent.

 

While some crops are coming off the fields, others are still developing nicely in them. Corn silking is maintaining its five-year average at 72 percent, with 16 percent of corn reaching the dough stage. Soybeans are trending a little ahead of schedule, with 86 percent blooming and 53 percent setting pods. Area farmers are also halfway done with their third cutting of alfalfa.

 

Sturgeon Bay woman OK following rollover crash

A scary situation could have been much worse for an 18-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman after she rolled her vehicle Wednesday morning in the town of Gardner. The crash occurred shortly after 11:30 a.m. on Stevenson Pier Road near County Highway K.

 

According to the crash report, she was traveling north on Stevenson Pier Road when some items began to roll off the passenger seat. As she tried to stop more of the items from falling, she crossed the centerline and entered the southbound lane.

 

Her vehicle rolled over before landing on its tires, with two of them in the southbound lane. No citations were issued and no injuries were reported, but the vehicle had to be towed from the scene because of disabling damage.

Archives:

2026-08 | 2026-07 | 2026-06 | 2026-05 | 2026-04 | 2026-03 | 2026-02 | 2026-01 | 2025-12 | 2025-11 | 2025-10 | 2025-09 | 2025-08 | 2025-07 | 2025-06 | 2025-05 | 2025-04 | 2025-03 | 2025-02 | 2025-01 | 2024-12 | 2024-11 | 2024-10 | 2024-09 | 2024-08 | 2024-07 | 2024-06 | 2024-05 | 2024-04 | 2024-03 | 2024-02 | 2024-01 | 2023-12 | 2023-11 | 2023-10 | 2023-09 | 2023-08 | 2023-07 | 2023-06 | 2023-05 | 2023-04 | 2023-03 | 2023-02 | 2023-01 | 2022-12 | 2022-11 | 2022-10 | 2022-09 | 2022-08 | 2022-07 | 2022-06 | 2022-05 | 2022-04 | 2022-03 | 2022-02 | 2022-01 | 2021-12 | 2021-11 | 2021-10 | 2021-09 | 2021-08 | 2021-07 | 2021-06 | 2021-05 | 2021-04 | 2021-03 | 2021-02 | 2021-01 | 2020-12 | 2020-11 | 2020-10 | 2020-09 | 2020-08 | 2020-07 | 2020-06 | 2020-05 | 2020-04 | 2020-03 | 2020-02 | 2020-01 | 2019-12 | 2019-11 | 2019-10 | 2019-09 | 2019-08 | 2019-07 | 2019-06 | 2019-05 | 2019-04 | 2019-03 | 2019-02 | 2019-01 | 2018-12 | 2018-11 | 0008-03

Current Weather

CANCELLATIONS

Daily Brief Subscription

Subscribe to The Daily Brief!

You will get the latest conent from the Door County Daily News delivered to your inbox every morning at 7am!

 

 

Voice Drop

Click to begin recording

Search Our Site

Poll

What's putting the biggest strain on your household budget?
Add a Comment
(Fields are Optional)

Your email address is never published.

Obituaries

Sports Poll