The Door County Board of Supervisors will take a deep dive into forming its budget Tuesday after its regularly scheduled meeting. The board and the county’s department heads will meet to discuss the proposed 2027 budget while also looking at the county’s capital improvement plan through 2031 and a forecast for the 2028 budget. Door County Administrator Ken Pabich says uncertainty surrounding state and federal funding makes the budget a tricky discussion, especially with other major capital projects on the horizon, including the public safety radio system upgrade and a new Door County Emergency Services facility in West Jacksonport.

Before discussing the budget, the Door County Board of Supervisors will consider an application for financial assistance for dock refurbishment at Lily Bay County Park, a Wisconsin Department of Transportation grant for a bus replacement and the next steps for the public safety radio system upgrade. The board meets at 9 a.m. at the Door County Government Center in Sturgeon Bay.

As money from the city’s Premier Resort Area Tax begins to come in, Sturgeon Bay Mayor David Ward says he knows one project he wants to tackle with the funds. Ward used a portion of his mayor’s comments Tuesday to address increasing traffic in the city and the danger it presents to pedestrians and cyclists. Ward says that as the city has become more popular with visitors, traffic has increased right along with it. He adds that there are ways to improve pedestrian safety while using PRAT funds for road improvements.

Earlier this month, a 75-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman died after she was struck while crossing the street near the intersection of Third Avenue and Michigan Street. A 73-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman told officers she was waiting to turn left onto Michigan Street from Third Avenue while a group of pedestrians crossed another part of the intersection. After the pedestrians cleared, she began her turn without seeing the 75-year-old woman, who was crossing from west to east in the south crosswalk.

When it came to helping families in his community, Dan Rueckl knew where to turn: his own. Rueckl approached his family about a new post-retirement venture after the village’s only laundromat closed years ago, converting a portion of his building along State Highway 54 into a new one.

An extensive remodel later, Lux Wash Co. was born, giving the community the ability to wash items big and small on their own schedule without having to drive to Kewaunee or Green Bay to do their laundry or washing their furry family members. From researching the machines to opening the doors six weeks ago, Rueckl says it has been a great experience getting the whole family involved in a business that fills a community need.

The property has housed other Rueckl ventures in the past including pole building construction and storage units.

The days are growing shorter, and the storms of fall roll in, accenting cooler nights and pleasantly warm days. As you wander into the woods, the forest seems spent from summer's abundance. Songbirds are molting into their more subdued winter plumage, leaves and stems are riddled with holes and galls, and scavenging detritivores are growing fat on the season's harvest.

We often think of spring as mushroom season, but autumn offers its own remarkable fungal bounty. As the forest begins to slow, fungi emerge to play a vital role in recycling nutrients, decomposing fallen leaves and wood, and preparing the ecosystem for another cycle of growth. Hidden beneath the forest floor, vast networks of fungal threads are hard at work linking plants, breaking down organic matter, and returning nutrients to the soil. While flowers fade and many animals begin preparing for winter, fungi come into their own, transforming the forest into a showcase of strange colors, shapes, and textures.

This time of year, as children return to school and stores seem to set out Halloween decorations earlier every year, nature joins in the seasonal celebration. Walking through the woods, the eerie Dead Man's Fingers fungus can often be found emerging from decaying wood, while the bright yellow slime mold commonly called Witch's Butter adds unexpected splashes of color to the forest floor. Both organisms are unique in appearance and never fail to bring me immense joy during autumn explorations.

Slime molds, funny enough, are neither molds nor slimes. Instead, they belong to a group of organisms all their own. Capable of movement, responding to their environment, and even solving surprisingly complex problems such as finding efficient pathways to food, these remarkable organisms have long challenged taxonomists and fascinated scientists. To encounter one on a woodland walk is to be reminded that nature does not always fit neatly into the categories we create.

Fall is also a season of migration and preparation. The woods are filled with subtle signs that another season is coming. Warblers and other songbirds gather in mixed flocks as they fuel up for journeys that may carry them hundreds or even thousands of miles south. Insects take advantage of the last warm days, while chipmunks and squirrels busily collect and store food. Goldenrods and asters provide one final burst of color and nectar for pollinators. Everywhere you look, the natural world is balancing the abundance of summer with the demands of the coming winter.

At 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 2, Crossroads naturalists will lead participants on a Wandering Wednesday hike through the trails of the main campus, searching for signs of the season. These walks explore relatively easy terrain and aim to foster both skills and curiosity in understanding the natural world. Every hike is  different. We may be fortunate enough to encounter a flock of migrating songbirds moving through the canopy, discover an unusual slime mold along a rotting log, or stumble across one of the many fascinating mushroom species that thrive in Door County's forests. Participants may also observe insects and birds gathering energy reserves and preparing for the long seasonal journeys ahead.

At Crossroads, the first week of September is also a season of transition. We are excited to welcome our new Naturalist, Jess Poppie, to the Crossroads community. Jess joins us at a time when the preserve itself is shifting from the energy of summer programming to the quieter rhythms of fall exploration and stewardship.

Much like the forest's detritivores, which tirelessly recycle the remains of summer into resources for the future, Crossroads staff and volunteers will be cleaning up and tidying the abundance of the season with our annual Trail Spruce Up on September 4. Volunteers will help clean signs, trim branches, and perform light trail maintenance to ensure that the preserve remains welcoming and accessible throughout the fall and winter months. Stewardship is an essential part of our mission, and community workdays provide a wonderful opportunity to care for the places that connect us with nature.

Whether you join us for a hike, lend a hand on the trails, or simply take time to wander through the woods on your own, early autumn offers an invitation to slow down and pay attention. The forest is changing. Mushrooms emerge from hidden places, birds gather for migration, and the first hints of fall color begin to appear. It is a season rich with discovery, and one of the most rewarding times of the year to experience the natural wonders of Crossroads at Big Creek.

Upcoming Programs

Wednesday, September 2

1:30 p.m. | Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike through the preserve. Enjoy easy walking and seasonal discoveries during this approximately one-hour outing. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on leash.

Registration is not required. This program is free and open to the public.

Meet at: Collins Learning Center Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Friday, September 4

9:00-11:00 a.m. | Trail Spruce Up

Join Crossroads staff for an outdoor cleanup project including sign cleaning, branch trimming, and trail maintenance. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Please dress for outdoor work and changing weather conditions.

Meet at: The Shop (across the parking lot from the Collins Learning Center), Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI

Unity Hospice will receive the funds raised at the Zion United Methodist Church Old-Fashioned Hymn Sing on Sunday, September 6, at 5 p.m. 

What began in 1993 as a simple community gathering has grown into a beloved local tradition. Zion’s Hymn Sings now attract participants from more than a dozen area congregations, along with visitors from across the country. Over the years, the events have raised more than $42,000 for Door County nonprofits.

The Hymn Sing will be led by the Rev. Forrest Wells, with keyboard accompaniment by Caroline Polster. Participants call out the numbers of their favorite hymns, and everyone joins in the enthusiastic music-making and nostalgia.

But charitable giving is an important part of the tradition, and this Labor Day Weekend the Zion congregation has chosen Unity Hospice as the recipient. The choice is a particularly meaningful one. Over the past year, several families in the Zion congregation have been blessed by Unity’s compassionate support and comfort.

Refreshments will be served following the singing. Everyone is welcome, and admission is free.

Zion United Methodist Church is located at 8781 County Road F, between Baileys Harbor and Fish Creek.

I want to give a shout-out to Kinnard Funeral Services for the reminder that August is Wellness Recognition Month. I know that I have written on the topic in the past, but the importance of maintaining our personal wellness can never be overstated. The direction I want to take for this conversation is that of personal responsibility for that wellness. Too often, we look outward to our family, friends or even the community to create the conditions of wellness for us, when the only true path to wellness is that which originates and is sustained within us.

I’ll start with physical wellness, as it is the most tangible aspect of perceived wellness and one that we can take action on regardless of our surroundings. We are fortunate to have some great resources here in Kewaunee County in the form of fitness centers and businesses focused on exercise and nutrition, but it still requires deliberate action on behalf of the individual to make use of them. We speak a great deal about barriers in our small community, but the reality is that, in most cases, we are our own greatest barrier.

The internal conflict that we wage upon ourselves every day is real. It is the conflict between what we know we should do and what we want to do. It is also known as ambivalence, and once you create a habit of doing the right thing, even if it is the hard thing, personal growth is inevitable. So, get out there and go for a walk instead of streaming that television program. Park at the farthest point from the store. Grab a bottle of water instead of that Mountain Dew (I’m still working on that one!).

The next tenet of wellness on which I want to share some insight is emotional wellness. This, again, is a very personal and internal journey that has as its foundation a simple principle: Control what is in your control. Too often, we feel our emotional well-being is dependent on the actions or decisions of others. This is, of course, not only inaccurate but also detrimental to a solid foundation from which we can endure the many struggles we all face in our lives.

While we cannot control the vast majority of what we encounter in our daily lives, we can control our response to it. This, of course, takes a great deal of both discipline and practice and would be best incorporated into the small things so that, when the big things come along, we have already built those healthy habits of acceptance and self-regulation.

A good example of a starting point could be the next time a vehicle pulls out in front of you or passes you in a no-passing zone. Instead of defaulting to anger or even rage, transition to a more beneficial emotional state of acceptance and grace, as you may not know the circumstances that person may be dealing with.

Another great overarching emotion that can be relied upon to put us in a better emotional state is gratitude. This could be gratitude for what we have rather than frustration over what we don’t have, or gratitude for that special person in your life. If you really want to make an impact on both yourself and others, share that gratitude. It is literally a force multiplier of positive emotions.

Next week, I will cover some other aspects of wellness: social and spiritual.

My philosophy with all my fishing, including my kayak fishing, is to keep it simple. I have three sit-on-top (SOT) fishing kayaks and I’ve kept the accessories to a minimum.  For me, it’s RAM Mount external rod holders behind the seat, two flush mount rod holders also behind the seat and a small camera mount with waterproof camera for pictures of bigger smallmouth bass I catch and release.  At times I also have a storage crate with rod holders behind the seat. Having fished the waters of Door County for almost 30 years and mostly fishing shallow I don’t even use a fish finder.  My big change the past few years has been using a pedal kayak, although I still love getting out there and paddling.  The nice thing about my Jackson Kayak Coosa FD pedal kayak is the ability to troll a lure as I go from spot to spot.  And, if I find fish and the wind is blowing, which it usually is in Door County, I can hold myself in place much easier than with a paddle kayak.

Over the past several years it’s interesting to see how elaborate some kayak anglers go in rigging their fishing kayaks.  Except for the big engine, many of these fishing kayaks look like a small version of those bass boats we see zooming around the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. Many have one or two fish finders, trolling motors, power poles and more!  With these loaded and quite heavy fishing kayaks most will be using a trailer or possibly the back of a pick-up truck and bed extender.  Even simple SOT kayaks are heavier than recreational sit-in kayaks and take two people for roof transport.

The city of Sturgeon Bay and Wisconsin Public Power Inc. (WPPI Energy) extended their contract through 2073 on Tuesday to help ensure affordable energy for years to come. Sturgeon Bay Utilities is a city-owned entity and part of a group of more than 50 community-owned utilities that purchase power together. WPPI Energy purchases energy from a variety of sources, including an Illinois wind farm and a solar operation in Two Rivers, to keep power flowing to its customers. Last year, Sturgeon Bay Utilities hit a peak load during a summer heat wave that tested the system’s limits. Sturgeon Bay Mayor David Ward says the contract helps keep the city in line for power that is produced and sold to other member utilities.

Sturgeon Bay Utilities President Jim Stawicki said earlier this month that WPPI Energy is making significant investments to help meet future demand while keeping costs as low as possible, making long-term contracts necessary.

Sturgeon Bay Utilities has been busy burying power lines to make them less susceptible to tree damage during storms and is preparing to replace the First Avenue substation in the near future.

Advocating for 4-H in Kewaunee County has come as naturally to Savannah Bailey and Morgan Servaes this summer as reciting the organization’s pledge.

The duo have assisted UW-Madison Extension Kewaunee County this summer as AmeriCorps members serving its 4-H programming. AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism tasked with connecting adults with local schools, nonprofits and public agencies to help with tutoring, disaster relief, health needs and environmental projects.

In the case of Bailey and Servaes, they have been tasked with working with day care centers, summer schools and other educational programs to create 4-H opportunities for their students. It has been a rewarding experience for both Bailey and Servaes.

Bailey, a student at UW-River Falls, is working on a professional development course for 4-H members, while Servaes, a UW-Stevens Point student, is preparing to expand her popular Fairytales Animal Show for next year’s Kewaunee County Fair. The pair hope their work bears fruit next month when open enrollment for 4-H begins.

If you can lend a paw to a cat in need, the Wisconsin Humane Society will be fur-ever grateful.

WHS is currently caring for more than 1,050 cats, including more than 300 available for adoption across its campuses. That is pushing the organization’s capacity for caring for cats, while it also has dozens of dogs and other animals up for adoption. Schedule and travel changes, peak puppy and kitten season and an influx of lost pets are all factors driving animal shelters across the country to take in more animals.

The high cat population not only stretches WHS’ physical limits but its financial ones as well. Speaking about the organization’s August fundraising challenge, Wisconsin Humane Society Media Specialist Corey Viars says more animals to care for also means increased expenses for medical care, food and other necessities.

WHS is enticing potential cat owners with special adoption offers and encouraging others to consider becoming foster parents. The organization supplies everything needed to care for the animal; all the foster parent needs to provide is a loving home.

Local golfers had another opportunity Thursday to hit the links in the name of a good cause. Door County Habitat for Humanity hosted its seventh annual Home-in-One Golf Outing at Idlewild Golf Course in Sturgeon Bay, with proceeds benefiting the organization’s affordable housing projects on the peninsula. The event carries extra significance for Executive Director Lori Allen, and not just because of her role with Door County Habitat for Humanity. Dozens of local businesses and Allen’s neighbors donated time, raffle prizes and money to make the event a reality. One of the holes was sponsored by Allen’s neighbor, Keitha McDonald, who dedicated it to her late husband, Mac. She says Allen’s passion for the organization made it an easy decision to support their friend.

Allen is thankful for the support the community gives to Door County Habitat for Humanity and all of the area’s nonprofit organizations.

Door County Habitat for Humanity began its 51st home build late last month in Sister Bay, a project it hopes to complete by the end of the year, along with home repair projects in other parts of the county.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.