Your hosts for the Sevastopol FFA Dairy Breakfast this Saturday have five generations of tradition keeping their Sturgeon Bay farm alive after over 140 years of operation. Last year, Megan Staats-Tonn and Jason Staats partnered with Ed and Deb Staats to run CVF Dairy, which milks over 400 cows a day and produces approximately 800 gallons of maple syrup annually. A lot of change has happened in those 140 years, especially in the area of cow comfort. Technology does many things in CVF’s free-stall barn, including a robot that pushes feed closer to the cows, automatic fan ventilation to keep them cool, and pedometers to help keep track of their vitals.  For Deb and Megan, it means a lot that they get to continue the family tradition of farming together as mother and daughter.

You can check out the barn and the maple syrup production facility as a part of the Sevastopol FFA Dairy Breakfast on July 6th from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 

You can experience five of Door County’s most unique properties on the peninsula while supporting a much-needed service in the area when the 63rd annual House & Garden Walk is showcased on July 30th.  With the proceeds benefiting Door County Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Program, the House & Garden Walk will feature two homes on the lakeside near Sturgeon Bay, with the three others in Ephraim, Ellison Bay, and Sister Bay, respectively.  DCMC Auxiliary Co-Chair Pat Neudecker calls the event a fabulous project that features historic and new homes, including a 5,400-square-foot custom-built log home.

DCMC Behavior Health Manager Barb Johnson-Giese says the House & Garden Walk funds will go a long way towards strengthening and expanding the Behavioral Health Program in the area.

Tickets for the House & Garden Walk will go on sale starting Monday, July 1, and can be purchased online here or at ten locations in Door and Kewaunee counties listed below.  

 

Beginning July 1, tickets will be available for purchase with cash or check only at the following ticket outlets.

• Door County Co?ee & Tea Company, Sturgeon Bay
• Destination Door County, Sturgeon Bay
• Jerry’s Flowers, Sister Bay
• BLISS at The Marketplace, Sturgeon Bay
• Island Fever, Jacksonport
• Main Street Market, Egg Harbor
• Door County Medical Center Gift Shop, Sturgeon Bay
• Nicolet Bank, Sturgeon Bay Main Branch
• Nicolet Bank, Luxemburg
• Nicolet Bank, Kewaunee

Tickets are $50 if purchased before July 30, and $55 if purchased the day of the event. Tickets are currently available for purchase by credit card online at doorcountyhouseandgardenwalk.com or by calling (920) 746-3609.

(photos of homes courtesy of House and Garden Walk website)

Though the Collins Learning Center will be closed on Independence Day, our trails (like always) will be open all day, every day, so on Thursday; holiday hikers may see red, white, and blue birds on each of our three Crossroads preserves.

Then, on July 5 at 5:30 p.m., as is our tradition, Crossroads will sponsor a free First Friday Event. This month, we will have a fire with s'mores at our Council Ring. Reservations are not needed to attend. Attendees can socialize, tell stories, and make s'mores.

On Thursday, July 11, at 5:30 p.m., as part of Crossroadsd's Resources for Landowner Series, Jason Barrack, one of Door County’s NRCS agents, will present "An Introduction to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.”  NRCS helps private landowners improve the health of their operations while protecting natural resources for the future. 

When Europeans first explored the Door Peninsula, they found a shore-to-shore northern coniferous forest similar to what we might now see in Canada. Early explorers and surveyors wrote about trees and soil in their journals. Still, they rarely, if ever, mentioned birds and wildflowers. So, we can only speculate whether we had red, white, and blue birds here then.

Though much maligned and arguably noisy birds, blue jays may be why we have deciduous trees in Door Coun.  Many ecologists credit blue jays (which bury acorns and nuts) for planting our oak and beech trees.  And until we had mature oak trees, it was unlikely that scarlet tanagers (my father insisted on calling th"m "black-winged redbi"ds") were nesting in the tree canopies.

Indigo buntings (which, in sunlight, really are as blue as the flag) nest in brushy areas. They apparently moved into this part of Wisconsin only after the forests were logged out and farms and rural development created the edge habitat they prefer.

According to Samuel Robbins' extraordinarily well-researched book Wisconsin Birdlife, northern cardinals did not reach Door County until the 1940s. They nest in low shrubs and trees in or near open areas (but move into residential areas in the winter to take advantage of bird feeding stations).

We've probably always had gulls, but our stunning white pelicans are recent arrivals to Door County, though they have been fairly common for the last decade.

We can't know what birds were here before 1776, but the climate has changed significantly since then. Knowing how to adapt to current and future conditions is an important part of restoration. So, we hope landowners, managers, and anyone interested in restoration will take advantage of the natural resource professionals presenting programs at Crossroads this summer.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Thursday, July 4

The Collins Learning Center will be closed for the holiday. Trails are open.

Friday, July 5

5:30 pm First Friday smores and campfire.

Join us on the first Fridays of July for a fun, free, family-friendly outdoor event. We are hosting a campfire and smores at the Council Ring this month.

Monday, July 8

10:00 Summer Nature Program: Fantastic Flyers

Experience the mysteries of migration in our fields and woodlan s. Some creatures travel 10,000 miles or more to reach our preser e. This free program is for all ages. No pre-registration is needed. d. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, July 9

10:00 Summer Nature Program: Finding Fossils

Discover how animals with shells became the fossils we find at Crossroa s. This free program is for all ages, and no pre-registration is needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, July 10

10:00 Summer Nature Program: Rocks and Caves

Discover the secrets of Door County geology just below our feet. This free program is for all ages. No pre-registration is needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

The final fiscal numbers are not in yet, but the number of construction barrels on State Highway 42 in Door County is at zero. Wisconsin Department of Transportation spokesperson Mark Kantola says crews wrapped up their work north and south of the Village of Egg Harbor this week despite battling wet spring weather for much of it. The state’s portions of the project included STH 42 from the city of Sturgeon Bay to Egg Harbor between the mid junction with WIS 42/57 and County T and from the south Village limits of Egg Harbor to Fish Creek between the intersection of WIS 42 and Rainbow Ridge Court and the intersection of WIS 42 and Bluff Lane, covering almost 20 miles. Kantola says he will know on Monday if the projects are finished on time and budget. However, your commute to Door County may still be impacted if you drive through Green Bay. Construction crews are working on a 4.4-mile, $7.6 million resurfacing project on STH 54/57 between University Way and STH 57. Kantola says construction crews will be cleaned up for the long holiday weekend.

This spring and early summer have been among the busiest in Kantola’s decade-long stint with the DOT. There have been some accidents on US-41, where state crews are working on road construction projects this year, causing Kantola to ask motorists to put down their phones and eliminate other distractions while driving.

The Sturgeon Bay-based non-profit that prides itself on helping its neighbors with their homes is asking for your help repairing theirs.

 

 

 

 

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Door County Habitat for Humanity battled flood waters related to Tuesday’s storms that wreaked havoc across the county, including wiping out some area roadways. Executive Director Lori Allen says standing water is as high as eight inches in some spots through its offices and ReStore, the resale shop that provides critical funding for their affordable housing efforts in Door County.

While much of what was in the office and ReStore could be saved, other portions will meet a different fate. As of Friday, ReStore Manager Heather Thyrion says they have already filled three 20-foot dumpsters with items and building materials that had to be tossed. Allen suggests the organization will lose thousands of dollars that could have gone to other efforts.

Similar to when they are building a home or providing critical repairs, Allen is asking for volunteers to either help do the work or ensure the workers have drinks and food for their efforts.

It is one thing to have a plan, but for Northern Sky Theater’s Lachisa Grandberry, it has been the action that is allowing you to see more authentic stories told in Door County. While some of their inclusivity efforts started as far back as 2017, last year marked the first time the IDEAS Task Force at Northern Sky Theater met to discuss how inclusion, diversity, equity, and access solutions could be a part of the organization’s mission moving forward. Lachrisa Grandberry has been on the ground floor of it all since she first joined Northern Sky Theater over six years ago. She has sought to amplify other Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) artists to Door County and became the organization’s Director of NOVA (Nurturing Original Voices and Artists) Programming in 2022. Since the IDEAS in Action officially launched in 2023, Northern Sky Theater has hosted readings of plays by BIPOC authors, updated its Land Acknowledgement to the area’s Native American roots, and partnered with Door County Summer Horizons to introduce more diversity into its summer workforce. Grandberry is proud of what they have accomplished in such a short time.

After her musical Sunflowered broke ground as Northern Sky’s first reading of a script by black authors in 2019, Grandberry hopes IDEAS in Action can bring BIPOC pieces to the stage in the coming years. The second musical she co-wrote, Girls on Sand, makes its Northern Sky debut next month.

You can still find Miss Door County Kylee Duessler and Miss Door County Teen Emily Bley smiling after last weekend’s Miss Wisconsin pageant. The two participated in the festivities held in Oshkosh, competing against more than 30 other girls across various categories. In the end, Duessler became the county’s first Top 5 finalist in the Miss Wisconsin pageant in the program’s history. Duessler was proud of what she could accomplish, but she beamed over the performance of Bley, who talked her into participating in Miss Door County in the first place.

Even though they will not compete on the national stage, Duessler and Bley are content with supporting local events throughout the rest of the reign. They also look forward to helping plan next year’s Miss Door County and Miss Door County Teen pageants. You can listen to our entire interview with Duessler and Bley by clicking here.

You must wait on hold to use the wind phone at Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay.   The first-ever Door County wind phone, constructed nearly one year ago, was stolen this past week.  Josh Gregory spearheaded the wind phone project in honor of his mother, Judy, and to help people grieve the loss of a loved one.  He said a replacement rotary phone, similar to the old one, has been donated and will be secured to the booth by this weekend.

The tradition of wind phones started in Japan in 2010 and has gained popularity in the United States in the past few years. Gregory has heard positive feedback about the wind phone and its benefits of helping others find peace and closure after losing someone close. Over $2,000 was raised last year to place the windphone and a nearby bench.  The wind phone booth is located at Sunset Park on the shore of Bradley Lake on a path just north of the pickleball courts. 

Even after a near-record year for its annual appeal, the United Way of Door County still needs more support to help address the community's needs. Last year’s annual appeal raised $800,728.14, allowing the United Way of Door County to issue grants to more than 30 organizations. While the funding went a long way toward addressing some of the issues in the community, it did not solve them. According to United for ALICE, approximately a quarter of Door County’s households are considered to be at ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) levels, which means they are above the federal poverty level but struggle to afford the basics. United Way of Door County Board Chairperson Andy Anderson says that is a big part of their focus as they prepare to announce details for the 2024 annual appeal later this summer.

Anderson says affordable housing and child care also remain important focus areas for the United Way of Door County. 

Austin Straubel Airport Director Marty Piette advises you to book a flight sooner rather than later if you plan to go on a summer vacation. Earlier this week, the Transportation Security Administration set a record for the most people screened on a single day, surpassing nearly three million individuals. They are expecting to break that record again on Friday as they prepare for a historic period of travel. From now until July 8th, the TSA is poised to screen more than 32 million individuals, up over five percent from last year. Closer to home, Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay is outpacing last year by 10 percent. Piette says there are a lot of factors that are going into the boost, and it is a great thing to see.

AAA predicts that nearly 71 million travelers will travel more than 50 miles during the upcoming Independence Day holiday travel period, which stretches from June 29th to July 7th. While most of those travelers (85.4 percent) will stick to the road, over eight percent will take to the skies. 

You will have a new pavilion and playground to enjoy in southern Door County thanks to a grant award to the Friends of the Door County Parks on Tuesday. The organization accepted the $150,000 grant from Destination Door County as a part of its Park Initiative Grant program. The grant will be used for a new pavilion and playground at Sugar Creek County Park in Brussels. The park is also getting an investment from the Town of Gardner as the county also puts in wooden steps to take visitors to a nearby prairie. Door County Parks Director Tim Kazmierczak is thrilled with the support the project is receiving and looks forward to the end result.

Since 2023, the Friends of Door County Parks has distributed more than $500,000 to county parks such as Lower LaSalle Park, John Miles Park, and Tornado Park. The county also accepted funds to build a new open-air pavilion at John Miles County Park, which Kazmierczak said will be built this fall after the Door County Fair is completed.    

You do not need to be a top-flight quarterback, a run-stopping nose tackle, or a reliable left guard to get involved in next year’s NFL Draft in Green Bay. Approximately 250,000 people are expected to attend the annual traveling event, though last year’s draft in Detroit drew more than twice that. Because of that and the large traveling party the NFL brings, nearly all of the 4,800 hotel rooms in Brown County are booked, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Some of the hundreds of short-term housing options listed on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo are for over $10,000 a night. Area municipalities are feeling the opportunity the NFL Draft is bringing to the region, and Door County is no exception. Destination Door County’s Jon Jarosh says Friday’s Zoom meeting with Door County and Green Bay tourism officials is aimed at businesses interested in seeing where they may fit in during draft week and adjusting expectations.

The all-virtual meeting will occur on Friday at 10 a.m. by clicking this link. Jarosh says if you cannot make it to this meeting, it is not a problem. The session featuring Brad Toll from Discover Green Bay will be recorded for future use, and additional sessions will likely be hosted in the months to come before the NFL Draft in Green Bay, which is scheduled to take place April 24th-26th. 

Southern Door’s Noah Rass has become used to the bright lights of the stage, but none were brighter for him than appearing on a Broadway stage earlier this week as a part of the Jimmy Awards held in New York City. Rass and Green Bay East’s Jennifer Duarte Castillo were nominated for the national high school musical theatre awards after being named the best leading actor and actress at the Center Stage High School Musical Theater Showcase last month at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center. The pair spent ten days in New York City, living on the Julliard campus while preparing for the awards show, visiting with Broadway professionals, catching a show, and attending the Tony Awards. Both Rass and Castillo smiled ear to ear when they talked about making their Broadway debut with a medley that included songs from musicals like “& Juliet,” “Back to the Future,” and “Spamalot.”

While Rass and Castillo performed in three different ensembles during the show, Southern Door School District hosted a watch party to celebrate their recently graduated senior performer, who starred in the high school’s production of Mary Poppins to earn his spot in the showcase. Rass says it meant a lot to have the support of so many over 1,000 miles away from New York’s Minskoff Theatre, where he was performing.

Rass and Castillo will stay in-state while pursuing their dreams in the performing arts. Castillo will attend UW-Madison this fall, while Rass will attend UW-Stevens Point. The Jimmy Awards annually grants thousands of dollars in scholarships to students nationwide so that young actors can further their education. You can watch our full interview with Rass and Castillo below.

With more of the peninsula’s beaches filling up this summer with families enjoying water sports and swimming, the Door County YMCA is starting a timely new eight-week swim session at the facility’s pool.  Member Services Director Rachel Stoehr says registration is now open in Sturgeon Bay until July 7th, with lessons beginning the next day.  She says adult lessons are also available, and it is never too late to learn the important and potentially life-saving swimming skill.

Stoehr adds that the Jackie and Steve Kane Program Center in Fish Creek still has registration open for one-week Super Swim lessons.  You can find more information on the Summer 1 session schedules at the Door County YMCA here. 

You will want to be careful if you use payment apps online like PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.   Although the apps are convenient and allow you to send money to friends and businesses with usually no fee, they are also rife with scams.  According to AARP research, 17 percent of adults who use digital payment apps have fallen victim to scammers in 2023.  Over $213 million was reportedly lost by customers in 2021 and part of 2022.  Industry experts advise people to follow seven basic rules to avoid a mobile payment app scam.   Don’t send money to strangers, don’t click on links in texts or emails, use a security lock on your payment app, scrutinize the email sender’s address, be wary of urgent warning messages, and keep your account information safe.  If you have concerns over any potential fraudulent activity, you can always unlink your bank account and make payments other ways. 

It will be a while before locals and visitors to Door County can take the complete scenic route to Sturgeon Bay on County U this summer after the roadway suffered a catastrophic collapse near the Rosewood Road and South Shiloh Road intersection on Tuesday morning.  Door County Highway Department Deputy Commissioner Randy Dvorak reported that he doesn’t know how long the road will be closed given the size of the 200-foot culvert that was washout caused by over four inches of rainfall in three hours.  He says the new culvert must be ordered and will cost about $100,000 to repair and install the road.  

For the foreseeable future, drivers will have to take the detour using County roads J and S and Kennedy Drive. About two miles north of the collapse on County U, the dead-end Bear Creek Road suffered a partial washout on the northside lane. 

With some areas of Door and Kewaunee counties receiving nearly five inches of rain early Tuesday morning, many local farmers face water-filled fields that can damage their future harvest.  Rich Olson of Olson Family Farm in southern Door County says the fields were already wet and are only more saturated with pooling water that can kill off any newly planted crops from the spring.

Olson says his rain gauge measured 3.8 inches of rain on Tuesday morning and estimates that ponding water in the fields could damage five to ten percent of crops. Some farmers use tiling in the fields to help remove excessive water but cannot keep up with drainage when the rains come as fast and furious as they did. Olson adds that warmer temperatures, dry conditions, and westerly winds are needed now for farmers to be optimistic about successful harvests. 

You will have plenty of options to choose if you are looking to pick the perfect place to celebrate Independence Day. Communities in Door and Kewaunee counties will be taking to the streets and the skies for the holiday. On July 3rd, Kewaunee, Maplewood, and Egg Harbor will host their fireworks celebrations, while Gills Rock, Washington Island, Sturgeon Bay, and Baileys Harbor will host theirs on July 4th. For many communities, the day goes beyond just the fireworks show at dusk. Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Alexa Soto says they are bringing plenty of excitement to Sunset Park at 5 p.m. on July 4th.

Baileys Harbor and Egg Harbor will host their annual Fourth of July parades at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Click on the links below for more information about the individual fireworks celebrations and other Independence Day-related events.

July 3rd

Egg Harbor

Kewaunee

Maplewood

July 4th

Sturgeon Bay

Gills Rock

Washington Island

Baileys Harbor 

The Algoma Fire Department is recognizing a major milestone in its history this weekend, and you’re invited to join the celebration. The department is celebrating 150 years of serving the community, beginning with a parade through the city at noon before setting up a shop at Legion Park, which will have live music and food until 10 p.m. The department started in 1875 when it was the Village of Ahnapee, purchasing its first apparatus from the Green Bay Fire Department. As a part of the celebration, the apparatus known as Astor No. 1 will make the trip from its home at Heritage Hill State Park in Green Bay to the city for the parade. Fire Chief Tom Ackerman says Saturday’s event is as much a thank-you note to the communities they serve as a birthday celebration for the department.

In addition to its duties within the city limits, the Algoma Fire Department also serves the towns of Ahnapee, Lincoln, and Pierce and seven miles of DNR Nature Trails while also assisting with the United States Coast Guard for nine miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

A storm that hit northeast Wisconsin early Tuesday morning caused power outages and wiped out an entire road in Door County. More than two inches of rain fell in many parts of the peninsula during a four-hour span, beginning shortly after midnight. The Door County Emergency Management Department and the Door County Highway Department closed County Highway U at Rosewood Road and S. Shiloh Road intersection at 8:30 a.m. after flood waters washed out a culvert. A detour has been set up to utilize CTH J, CTH S, and Kennedy Drive in Kewaunee County while the highway department assesses the damage and repairs it when possible.

Several roads in Door and Kewaunee counties also experienced flooding, with the water standing six to eight inches in some spots.

Over 12,000 Wisconsin Public Service customers were without power when they woke up this morning, with Door County's peak at about 430 customers and Kewaunee County's at approximately 80. As of 9:45 a.m., just shy of 400 customers in Door County were still without power, most of which were north of Sister Bay. WPS estimates that the power will be restored by 11 a.m. 

A late-night call brought more reminders than citations regarding using burn barrels in rural areas. The Nasewaupee Fire Department responded to a request by the Door County Sheriff’s Department before midnight on Sunday to an unattended fire on Feest Road in the Town of Nasewaupee. The property owner was using a gravity box trailer as a burn barrel, and the fire's glow and the visible smoke brought concern. Firefighters used approximately 350 gallons of water to put out the fire. Fire Chief Jacob Schartner says the incident reminds people how to use their burn barrel, including what should and should not be burned.

Schartner says they also reminded the property owner to have a burn permit, which is available from the town clerk.

Over 160 women still showed up for the Queen for a Day 17th Annual Women’s Golf Outing on Monday afternoon, despite being unable to shoot a round of golf.  Due to the wet playing conditions at Idlewild Golf Course, organizers had to make an audible and eliminate the event’s usual nine-hole scramble.  Co-organizer Barth Guilette says the turnout was incredible, with only one of the 42 teams canceling.  He estimates that the “Queen for a Day” raises nearly $35,000 yearly for Door CANcer and the David Spude Cancer Center Fund.

Lois Spude-Garrity shares the history behind the popular golf outing that started after her first husband, David Spude, died of cancer.

The “Queen for a Day” golf outing is limited to 42 teams and has five teams on a waiting list to participate, according to Guilette.  Door CANcer serves Door County residents who need financial help for cancer treatments.  The David Spude Cancer Center Fund was created through the Door County Medical Foundation to ensure cancer treatments are available to all at the Door County Cancer Center. 

You can officially ask your technology questions closer to home after Schaut Technologies hosted its grand opening celebration at its Sturgeon Bay location on Monday. 

Ryan Schaut opened the second location inside the Door County Epicenter earlier this year, expanding from his shop in Sister Bay. Home to nearly a dozen other businesses, the Door County Epicenter has taken the old Nicolet National Bank and given it new life. Schaut says the move has been great for him because it allowed him to interact with other small businesses and serve his clientele better.

Schaut’s physical footprint has paired with his growth in services, including tutoring and consultation.

It did not draw the same crowd you would usually find on a Saturday morning, but Destination Sturgeon Bay held a more intimate version of its popular Farmers Market on Monday at the city’s Martin Park. About a dozen vendors lined the outer ring of Martin Park with brats sizzling on a grill while shoppers visited businesses, from fresh-cut flowers and produce to photos and crafts. Destination Sturgeon Bay made the call on Friday to cancel its Saturday Farmers Market ahead of storms that hit the area in the morning. Emerald Acres Farm in Sturgeon Bay was one of the vendors that took advantage of the redo despite having a successful day in Baileys Harbor on Sunday and planning ahead with its harvest, knowing what Saturday morning had in store. Valerie Boyarski says it has been a difficult spring, but she was happy to see many of her regulars take advantage of the Farmers Market alternative.

Destination Sturgeon Bay and the vendors hope the weather will not cause any more interruptions this year to its usual schedule of 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

A 20-year-old Colgate woman was cited for failing to control her vehicle after she crashed in the Town of Baileys Harbor on Friday.

The accident occurred at approximately 5 p.m. on State Highway 57 north of County Highway Q. The woman was driving north when she lost control of her vehicle on the curve. As a result, her vehicle left the roadway and struck a Wisconsin Public Service utility pole. According to the crash report, she stated she was going 45 miles per hour as she approached the curve, which is 10 miles per hour above the speed limit in that area. The roads were wet, and there was light rain in the area at the time of the crash, but she could not recall anything else that would have contributed to the crash. 

This story has been changed from an earlier post due to inaccuracies in the story. We regret the errors.

You may have to wait to enjoy some of the area’s beaches after they recently closed due to elevated bacteria.

Haines Park Beach in Nasewaupee is closed due to elevated bacteria levels. Otumba Beach in Sturgeon Bay, Fish Creek Beach, and Crescent Beach in Algoma carry beach advisories for the same reason. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, elevated bacteria levels are reported when the E.Coli levels are higher than the recreational water quality levels. These levels can fluctuate because of delays in conventional lab analyses, which can take 18-24 hours.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency recommends people don’t swim at beaches with elevated bacteria levels, especially small children, the elderly, and the immunocompromised. Symptoms of exposure to bacteria in the water include nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps, chills, fever, and rashes.

You can find the up-to-date beach advisories from the Wisconsin DNR here.

As work on WIS 42 begins to conclude, other road construction projects will ramp up over the next several weeks.

SISTER BAY

Beginning June 24th, the Village of Sister Bay will paint its crosswalks. The work is expected to be completed in the early morning hours. 

BRUSSELS

The Door County Highway Department will begin a resurfacing project on CTH DK from Stone Road to CTH H at the beginning of next month. Crews will begin sawing of asphalt and concrete driveways on July 1st, with the removal of materials, road pulverization, and grading and compaction scheduled to start the week of July 8, 2024. After that, the placement of two lifts of asphalt is scheduled to begin on July 15th, with road shouldering and centerline markings completing the project. The work is expected to be done on August 8th.

As always, motorists are expected to drive carefully through the roadwork zones to guarantee not just their safety, but the lies of the worker. 

If you can wait until Monday, you can still get your Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market fix.

Destination Sturgeon Bay was forced to cancel its farmers market for Saturday due to the threat of thunderstorms that canceled or postponed other events in northeast Wisconsin. Marketing Manager Alexa Soto says many vendors were canceling themselves due to the storms, even if some of their potential profits were sitting in the back of their trucks with nowhere to go other than the compost pile. Soto says the Monday pop-up market will help some vendors get their products to customers instead.

As of Friday, the list of vendors was still being finalized. The pop-up farmers’ market will occur at Martin Park from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Door County Board is set to approve more than $164,000 for a new open-air pavilion at John Miles County Park in Sturgeon Bay. Last month, Destination Door County announced the project would receive a Community Investment Fund grant of $92,850 to ensure that programming at the site, which includes the main stage acts for the Door County Fair, would be protected from the weather. The Raibrook Foundation ($31,189 grant), the Door County Fair Board ($30,000), and the Friends of the Door County Parks ($10,000 donation) have also offered to contribute to the project. The county board must approve any donations or grants of more than $5,000. After receiving the funds from the Community Investment Fund, Door County Administrator Ken Pabich said the pavilion will serve a great purpose for the community.

The Door County Board will also look to approve $75,000 to be transferred for the emergency replacement of the generator for the Door County Government Center on Washington Island in addition to hearing Pabich’s report on other capital projects sitting in different phases on the peninsula. They will meet on Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the Door County Government Center in Sturgeon Bay.

Our summer-long Resources for Landowner Series continues on June  27 at 5:30 pm with a program presented by Lara Fondrow, Private Land Biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  Then, starting on July 1, Crossroads at Big Creek will begin offering Summer Nature Programs on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays at 10:00 throughout the summer.

Our Summer Naturalist, Joan Wilkie, will offer interactive programs for all ages, and her first program will be “Gifts of the Glaciers.” In a very real way, the family program about glaciers and the lecture: “Introduction to US Fish and Wildlife Program” are related.

The most recent advance of the Ice Age glaciers did indeed give us the most valuable gift in the universe—an abundant supply of liquid fresh water. It also gave us gorgeous scenery, a moderated climate, and our precious peninsula.

But the way this is presented in most textbooks and on many sites on the Internet gives the impression that a glacier came and then melted, and consequently, we now have five beautiful lakes. Our glacial history is far more complicated than that, reaching back 200 million years. 

Geologists know for sure that there were four major glacial advances, but based on sediment cores from ocean floors, they speculate that there were many glacial and interglacial periods in the past, and these all helped create the topography that determined the most recent glacial advance.

When and how the "the Great Thaw"  began is not settled science (nor do geologists agree on how Lake Superior was formed), but we do know that the weight of the glacial ice was so great that the Earth’s crust was deformed.

We have evidence in post-glacial lake terraces that for the past ten thousand years or so, the land has been rising—rebounding.  The ancient shorelines also indicate that Lake Michigan's shape, water volume, and depth have changed significantly several times.  Although advancing ice may have carved out the lake basins or at least enlarged pre-existing valleys, the melting ice deposited sediment ranging from tiny grains of sand to boulders on the Door Peninsula.

So although the last glacial advance gave us the gifts of freshwater lakes and spectacular scenery, the retreating ice sheets left us with very little soil. Instead, they gave us wetlands, sand dunes, areas with heavy clay, and, in some places, odd hills called drumlins, which are unsorted piles of rocks of varying sizes. The Door Peninsula has acid and basic soils….  sometimes mere inches apart. And every property is different.

This means that restoration in Door County is not a “one-size-fits-all” endeavor for landowners.

And this is one of the reasons Crossroads is sponsoring the lecture series, which is free and open to the public. Our June 27 speaker has worked with numerous nonprofits, private landowners, and other organizations to help implement conservation goals. The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to qualifying landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested improving wildlife habitat.

Speaking of wildlife habitat, Crossroads has been conducting surveys of the bats on our preserves to help us evaluate our habitat quality. Last week’s Nighttime Bat Hike at the Ida Bay preserve was fun, educational, and successful, as participants observed bats in the open areas near the edge of the forests on the Woodlot and Orchard Loop Trails.

On Friday, June 28,  at 8:30 pm,  we again invite the community to Nighttime Bat Hike at the Crossroads Big Creek Preserve. The group will survey Creek Trail and The Cove Estuary. This program is free and open to the public, but space is limited. To reserve a spot, please visit the Crossroads at Big Creek website.

June 27

5:30 pm: Introduction to US Fish and Wildlife Partners Program and the Resources They Offer

Lara Fondow, of the US Fish and Wildlife Service has worked with numerous nonprofits, private landowners, and other organizations to help implement conservation goals. The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program provides free technical and financial assistance to qualifying landowners, managers, tribes, corporations, schools and nonprofits interested in improving wildlife habitat on their lands. This program is free and open to the public. Meet in the  Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay. Reservations are not needed.

Friday, June 28

8:30 pm Nighttime Bat Hike

Grab your headlamps and walking sticks for a fun, casual, and educational guided hike through one of our trails. Explore Crossroads after dark while listening and looking for the bats that live on the property. The Hikes will last roughly 45 minutes to 1 hour and take place on the Creek Trail and the Cove Estuary. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay.  Space is limited so please visit the Crossroads website to reserve a spot. 

Monday, July 1

10:00 Summer Nature Program:  Glaciers  

Ice Age glaciers provided Wisconsin with an amazing gift-our Great Lakes. We will explore how glacial ice has transformed our landscapes. This free program is for all ages! No pre-registration needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Tuesday, July 2

10:00 Summer Nature Program: Insect Safari

Learn the secrets of insects as they transform from egg to adult. Hand lenses and collecting nets were provided.  This free program is for all ages! No pre-registration needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan. Sturgeon Bay

Wednesday, July 3

Summer Nature Program: Great Lakes Fisheries

Discover the wonders of our Lake Michigan fisheries. This free program is for all ages! No pre-registration needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan. Sturgeon Bay

Miss Door County Kylee Duessler finished in the Top 5 in Saturday's Miss Wisconsin Pageant in Oshkosh, earning valuable experience for the future and a $1,000 scholarship.

Duessler cracked the Top 11 to participate in Saturday's finals competition as she was among the 30 competitors from around the state. She earned the scholarship as the fourth runner-up in the competition, with Miss Northern Lights Mandi Genord earning the crown as Miss Wisconsin. Duessler is the first Miss Door County to finish in the top five of the competition.

Emily Bley competed in Friday's Miss Wisconsin Teen competition, also earning scholarship money for participating.

Photo courtesy of Miss Wisconsin and Competition photos are credited to Magic Dreams Productions

As we enter into what we hope will be the warm days of summer, it is a good time to bring attention to a practice that is unfortunately all too often a cause of distress for people who witness it and the animals affected by it. The issue is leaving pets in vehicles. Because many states allow only assistance dogs to be brought into stores or malls, some people take their dogs on errands but leave them in the car. This can be deadly. We would never dream of leaving a loved one in a vehicle on a hot summer day, yet some will do the same thing to a pet.

A little heat outside a car can quickly make it very hot inside. On a summer's day of only 85 degrees Fahrenheit, for example, even keeping the windows slightly open won't stop the inside temperature from climbing to 102 degrees in 10 minutes and to 120 degrees in 20 minutes. A dog whose body temperature rises to 107-108 degrees will, within a very short time, suffer irreparable brain damage — or even death.

Although it may seem like a good idea to bring the family pet along for a ride or on a trip, consider whether or not you will have the time or ability to keep that pet comfortable. They will be better off left at home with a caregiver or even at a kennel service than subjected to periods of time in a vehicle. If you must bring them along, consider tasking someone to stay with the pet while running errands.

The Rotary’s “Sturgeon Bay Working Waterfront, Past and Present” had to call an audible with the threatening weather impacting the area this weekend.  This year, the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay changed to a chartered boat cruise around Sturgeon Bay instead of the traditional shipyard tour from land.  Unfortunately, with the predicted heavy rains, the organization canceled the Friday afternoon and Saturday cruises, but the Sunday cruises remained intact. Rotarian Kevin Mutchler says the Friday morning cruises went very well, and an additional Sunday morning cruise for 8:15 a.m. was offered to those who signed up for the canceled cruises.  He explains that Shoreline Boat Tours is also providing ticket holders of the canceled cruises a gift certificate for a similar cruise later this summer.

Mutchler added that some ticket holders are taking advantage of the 8:15 a.m. Sunday cruise, however, anyone is free to show up at 7:45 a.m. to jump onboard for $75. The efforts will benefit the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay's work, including high school scholarships for local students.  

After emerging from its cocoon earlier this year, your kids will officially be able to enjoy a newly reimagined park this Sunday.

The Town of Baileys Harbor will host the Kendall Park Playground grand opening after years of fundraising and installing some of the equipment last fall. The park will feature an all-inclusive playground, allowing kids of all physical abilities. Students from Gibraltar constructed an arch for the playground, adorned with butterflies as a nod to the park’s namesake, the late Kendall Weisgerber. When fundraising efforts hit full stride in the fall of 2022, Kari Baumann of Baileys Harbor explained what that small patch of land meant to her family, specifically her sister.

The grand opening celebration, which will feature other activities at the park, is set to begin at 11 a.m.

Thanks to the hard work of the aquatic harvesting teams with the City of Sturgeon Bay, you are starting to see fewer plants floating in the bay. Since May, crews have worked from approximately 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. out on the water riding on steam wheel-like vessels, removing some aquatic plant species that impede access to boaters and other marine traffic. Due to the lack of snow and ice cover this winter, the aquatic plants have grown tremendously over the last year thanks to more sunlight reaching the bottom of the bay. A year after taking only four to six loads off the bay during the month of May, this year, crews brought in more than 100 loads during the same month. The crew of five harvester operators have brought in more than 300 loads from the nearly 150 acres of water area they are allowed to remove per their DNR permit. To help their efforts, a private company sprayed the approved areas they were allowed to treat. Harbormaster Ryan Londo says they continue to make progress, but the aquatic plants they have been removing have been a growing problem since he joined the city 12 years ago.

After the plants are removed from the water, they are taken to the city’s compost site, where they sit before ground up into the compost. The City of Sturgeon Bay revised its aquatic plant removal plan earlier this year, though Londo says it stays relatively consistent from year to year.

The music you heard from the barn on the campus of Birch Creek Music Performance Center on Thursday marked the beginning of summer in Door County. A full house greeted the musicians as they started a season with over 40 scheduled concerts featuring percussion and steel bands, symphony, and jazz music styles. The Percussion, Steel Pan, and World Music session covers several music styles, kicking off the season performances highlighting 70s tunes and songs reminding you about the different holidays. Thursday marked Mona Christensen’s 10th opening night as Birch Creek Music Performance Center’s Executive Director.  With familiar faces and great music, opening night never gets old for her.

The Percussion, Steel Pan, and World Music session continues through June 29th before the symphony session opens on July 4th. You can listen to our full interview with Christensen by clicking on this link.

After being crowned locally in February, Kylee Duessler and Emily Bley are chasing bigger titles this weekend. Miss Door County Duessler and Miss Door County Teen Bley are competing in this weekend’s Miss Wisconsin Pageant.

Both girls have already competed in the interview competition with on-stage questions and evening gowns. In February, Duessler and Bley discussed what they looked forward to the most representing the Miss Door County Scholarship program and being role models in the community.

While Bley competes in the Miss Wisconsin Teen competition on Friday, Duessler will learn Saturday morning if her journey to become Miss Wisconsin will continue. If Duessler is a finalist, the finals will begin at 4 p.m. in Oshkosh.   

You can playback our full interview from February with Duessler and Bley here

FOR MORE: You can track their progress at the competition by clicking this link

A tradition you may remember from yesteryear returns to Ellison Bay Community Park this Sunday. Teaming up with Door County North, the Ellison Bay Service Club is bringing back Ellison Bay Day in the Park and Parade for community members and visitors to enjoy. In the eight years since the last time a summer festival parade was held in Ellison Bay, similar events like Olde Ellison Bay Days, Uncork Summer Food Wine and Music Festival, and Ellison Bay Go Hog Wild have come and gone. After taking a year off to regroup, Ellison Bay Service Club Board Member Maureen Mercier says they hope to bring something new with a sense of nostalgia back to the area.

 The festival will include live music, food, drinks, a vintage car show, and kids activities from noon to 5 p.m. The event was originally scheduled for Saturday with an extra two hours planned and included a morning parade. Thunderstorms in the forecast changed those plans, postponing the festival portion until Sunday and canceling the parade. 

NOTE: This interview was done on Wednesday evening before some changes to the event were made.

Picture from past Old Ellison Bay Days courtesy of Ellison Bay Service Club

The Wisconsin Dairy Products Promotion Board is giving you more reasons to visit your favorite cheesemongers this weekend. This week, the board held its annual Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest, handing out several awards across 50 cheese, butter, yogurt, sour cream, fluid milk, and custard category classes. Agropur’s Luxemburg plant and Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese in Kewaunee captured three blue ribbons in this year’s edition. Pat Doell won the smoked cheese category with his smoked provolone cheese. Doell also had the second and third-place entries in the mozzarella category, coming in just behind his colleague at the plant, Jeremy Robinson. Produced 10 miles from the Agropur plant, Ron’s Wisconsin Cheese won with artisanal hand-packed garlic and dill-flavored cheese curds in the flavored cheese curds category. The entries will be displayed during the Wisconsin State Fair, which runs August 1st-11th.

Issues dealing with PFAS, lakebeds, and the DNR will be the topic when the Door County Environmental Council hosts a program at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor next Monday.  Bill Davis, a Senior Legal Analyst for the River Alliance of Wisconsin, will speak at Monday’s “Wisconsin’s Water: Recent Developments and Needed Action.”  With concerns about the current water management status in the area and what more can be done to advance new water policies and strategies, Davis will present his views on improving the current situation.   He hopes Monday’s program will be more discussion than a presentation on protecting our waters, which are very vulnerable to chemicals and PFAs.

Davis has worked on environmental policy at the state and regional level, including stints as Executive Director of Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade (Clean Wisconsin), and the State Environmental Leadership Program.   The free program will be 7 p.m. at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor and can also be via zoom on the dcec-wi.org website.

The guests at Apple Creek Resort in Fish Creek had to be evacuated from their rooms due to a fire on Wednesday night. Gibraltar Fire and Rescue were dispatched to the hotel building before 9:45 p.m. as smoke filled the resort’s first-floor laundry room. Fire Chief Andy Bertges says resort staff closed off the doors to the laundry room to keep the blaze from spreading throughout the building. He suggests that overheated items within the dryer ignited, setting the appliance on fire. An extinguisher was used on the fire until an engine arrived to knock down the rest of the blaze. From ventilating the building of smoke to making sure everyone was out of their rooms, Bertges was thankful for the mutual aid response they received.

The fire departments of Ephraim, Baileys Harbor, and Egg Harbor, the Door County Sheriff’s Department, and Door County Emergency Services also responded to the fire, allowing crews to leave the scene after a few hours.

Even as farmers look out at flooded fields and event organizers struggle with thoughts of postponements and cancellations, you can still find a silver lining with all of the rain that has hit Door and Kewaunee counties this spring. The entire state of Wisconsin is drought-free for the first time in over a year, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Only a few patches in south-central and far northern Wisconsin are considered abnormal. Wisconsin's fourth-wettest spring on record has eliminated worries of fire warnings and low water levels, though it has been too wet to do many other things. In the past week, the area has seen about an inch of rain on top of the nearly an inch of rain that has already fallen this month. Weatherology meteorologist Jennifer Wojcicki says we are still shy of the average rainfall that we usually see during the month of June, but the rainier May is more than making up for it. She says transitioning from a La Nina to an El Nino weather pattern is why a raincoat and umbrella have been a part of your daily routine.

The weather forecast calls for a chance of rain through Saturday, with some relief pegged for Sunday and Monday. The relief will be brief as more rain is on the way for Monday night into Tuesday. 

According to the Pew Research Center, your child’s smartphone could be a major distraction in the classroom, depending on the policies in place. The polling data was spotlighted earlier this month after New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced proposed legislation to ban smartphones in schools, citing the impact of social media and technology on youth. According to the survey, 72 percent of high school teachers say cellphone distraction is a major problem. Those numbers dwindle as the students age and may not have a smartphone, with 33 percent of middle school teachers and six percent of elementary school principals agreeing that it is a major problem. More than eighty percent of K-12 teachers say their school or district has a cellphone policy with varying degrees of severity. Gibraltar Secondary School Principal Jim DeBroux says their policy is likely more lenient than other schools in the area. Students are allowed to carry them but not use them in the classroom unless they are prompted to do so. He says they do not experience as many problems with students abusing their cellphone policies as you would think, but he says it is a conversation he has with his teachers regularly.

Luxemburg-Casco Middle School made local headlines last fall when they adopted a new policy forcing students to leave their smart devices in their lockers for the entire day. The “Away for the Day” pilot program the school implemented complemented research that shows that kids tend to do better with phones away during school hours. Principal Todd Chandler said then that it was a steep learning curve for the eighth graders but a smooth transition for the seventh graders who may not have had their devices on them last year.

While teachers say smartphone use in the classroom is a major distraction, the same study showed that 45 percent of students ages 13-17 would argue that smartphones make it easier for people their age to do well in school compared to the 23 percent who say it makes it harder.

A program designed to provide wellness and support services for first responders in Kewaunee County will continue thanks to dollars accrued from settlements with opioid producers. The Kewaunee County Board approved the resolution allowing for $4,000 of the $172,087.84 deposited from the settlements to be used for wellness screenings for those who experience secondary trauma associated with opioid-related emergency events. Sheriff Matt Joski told the board that in the past, the department has relied on grants to help cover the wellness screenings for its staff so everyone can receive it. Joski felt it was important for the screenings to continue even though no grants were available this time.

The Kewaunee County Board also formally accepted a Department of Homeland Security Exercise Grant for over $12,000 that will assist the county’s Public Health and Emergency Management departments in forming a Family Assistance Center Plan that will consist of creating checklists, running exercises, and purchasing “go bags” to be deployed for centers and shelters during emergency situations. The board also accepted an ARPA HCBS Social Isolation and Loneliness Grant designed to help the county address its aging and disabled population. Supervisors were supposed to hear more about Bug Tussel’s $6 million plan to extend the county’s “middle mile” to expand broadband coverage, but no representatives were present at the meeting.

You can be part of serving a new addition to Door County’s public safety when the unthinkable happens.  The Gibraltar Fire Department is spearheading a Community Emergency Response Team that takes action when a natural disaster occurs in Door County.  Fire Chief Andy Bertges says the course is hosted by the Door County Emergency Management and is called “Neighbors Helping Neighbors.”  He shares the hopes of the program that will have people take care of themselves and others when a disaster occurs. 

Bertges says the concept was developed in California in the 1980s and creates a database of people who will respond during a large incident.  A Search and Rescue team with a K-9 group is being developed to help find lost people without using all the public safety agency resources.  The CERT course will be held starting Monday, July 1, at the Town of Gibraltar Fire Department in county F and consists of 16 hours of online and eight hours of practical training.   Gibraltar Fire Department held two CERT open houses earlier this spring with 12 people registered for the course at this time.  You can contact Fire Chief Bertges for more information at (920) 421-3456 or abertges@gibraltar.gov.

This summer, you can learn and experience the benefits of swimming in the Door County YMCA pools while also getting your lifeguard certification.  The YMCA is creating waves with the Summer 1 sessions and a new Super Swim program for an hour-long session four nights a week.  Sturgeon Bay Center Aquatics Center Director Heidi Honald describes this year's two-week Super Swim schedule. 

Honald notes that the Door County YMCA also offers a recertification class and a lifeguarding course later this summer that teaches life-saving skills and emergency water response.

 You can find more information on the Summer 1 sessions and the American Red Cross Lifeguarding course here.

This week, a $15 million repairing project for the over 100-year-old Algoma south breakwater that will take over two years to complete began.  Roen Salvage Company of Sturgeon Bay will rebuild the deteriorating 1,500-foot-long structure.  General Manager Barry Kuzay says the first step in the process is demolishing the concrete top down to water level and rebuilding a new flat top four feet wider than the old one.  He shares the process and how the structure will be more walkable when completed.

 

The pierhead and entire south breakwater are maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers to keep a safe harbor for Algoma.  Kuzay adds that the marina will still have uninterrupted access for boaters, but they are warned not to throw wakes at the floating equipment and cranes.  The new Algoma South breakwater is expected to be completely finished by spring 2026. 

(photo courtesy of Roen Salvage)

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council was busy Tuesday night, working on housing developments, a park pavilion, and an initial concept for the Nautical Drive property.

More than 110 students from 40 counties will walk across the stage at Mauston High School on Wednesday as a part of the 52nd class of the Wisconsin National Guard Challenge Academy, and you will find that one of those students hails from Door County. The voluntary Challenge Academy is a cost-free alternative education program that re-shapes the lives of 16-to-18-year-olds at risk of not graduating from high school by employing a structured, military-style environment, and state-certified teachers and counselors to build Cadets’ academic abilities, character, self-confidence, and personal discipline.

Ashlee Pratt of Sturgeon Bay recognized that she needed that when she applied. She struggled with just getting to the classroom, let alone the coursework and activities inside it. It started out harder than she thought it would be, but Pratt says she quickly realized that she made the right decision.

As a part of graduating from the Wisconsin Challenge Academy, graduates earn their high school equivalency diploma and up to 16 college credits. Pratt will return to Sturgeon Bay, where he will work with a mentor who will offer guidance and encouragement to pursue her goal of attending college to pursue a fine arts degree and becoming a tattoo artist. The Wisconsin Challenge Academy, located at Fort McCoy, will begin its next class on July 24th. Pratt is the first graduate from Door County in five years.

“Tough it out,” “Rub some dirt on it,” and “Don’t cry” are some of the things you may have been told or tell your boys as they grow up. Discouraging men from expressing vulnerability has played a large role in the growing concern for their mental health. According to Mental Health America, over six million men suffer from depression, and more than three million suffer from some anxiety disorder. Eating disorders are also a concern because they are less likely to seek professional help than women, even though they make up 10 percent of patients with anorexia or bulimia and 35 percent of patients with a binge eating disorder. Simon Rabas, LCSW, who provides Behavioral Health services at Door County Medical Center Sturgeon Bay Clinic, says breaking through the stigma is the first and toughest step to addressing mental health in men.

Rabas encourages men to improve their mental well-being by staying connected with friends and family, becoming physically active, seeking professional help, practicing mindfulness, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and setting realistic goals. June is Men's Mental Health Month and you can click this link to listen to our full interview with Rabas.

Though a rare sight in Door County, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation warns you about the increased likelihood of the pavement buckling on your commute. Their warning came ahead of two such incidents on I-41 on Monday, causing delays for drivers near Scheuring Road in Brown County and US-45 in Oshkosh. Pavement buckling also caused problems for motorists on US-151 in Fond du Lac County. According to WISDOT, pavement buckling occurs when the weather goes from cool to very hot, causing pavement slabs to expand and push against each other, creating cracked bumps and dips in the road. Door County Highway Commissioner Thad Ash says pavement buckling is always a concern, but it happens few and far between. The incline on WIS 42/57 from Gordon Road to Forest Road is one of the trouble spots in the past that Ash mentioned, pointing out that the centerline often popped out. He says some factors make it less likely to occur in Door County than in other areas like the Fox Valley, starting with the amount of concrete used on local roads.

Ash and his highway department crews have plenty to do without the pavement buckling. After finishing work in Baileys Harbor and Jacksonport this week, the Door County Highway Department focuses on County Road E from STH 57 to the causeway and other jobs on County Road DK and in the Town of Sevastopol.

If you have enjoyed the Hollyhocks outside of the Anderson Store in Ephraim over the years, you can thank Ephraim’s newly minted Fyr Bal Chieftain for making it a tradition. Betty Chomeau was given the title over the weekend during the village’s summer festival, which officially wrapped up last night when Mother Nature finally allowed organizers to launch its fireworks over Eagle Harbor. Chomeau’s love affair with the area began as a child when her family would spend their summers in Ephraim, so her mother could tend to her shop. Her future husband lived just a few doors down from Chomeau, and the pair married in Ephraim years later.  She got involved with the Ephraim Historical Foundation, serving as the organization’s president and working in its various museums. Before she stepped away from the task a few years ago, Chomeau became well-known for tending to the flowers located alongside the Anderson Store Museum. Like many of the Chieftains before her, Chomeau was humbled by the recognition.

Ephraim’s Fyr Bal, based on Scandinavian traditions, often coincides with the summer solstice. Next year, the event will celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Photo courtesy of Tad Dukehart

Almost exactly two years after retired firefighter Mitch Groessl lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, the Algoma Fire and Rescue honored his memory with three scholarships to three individuals looking to become Emergency Medical Technicians.  Algoma Fire Chief Tom Ackerman says it was always one of Groessl’s goals to encourage increasing membership for the Algoma Fire and Rescue before he passed.

Two of Groessl’s sons, Casey and Rory, who are department members, were present last week to award the three $500 scholarships to Tiffany Neveau, Jessica Neveau, and Melissa Moen. All three have completed their EMT classes and are serving the Algoma community. 

(photo contributed)

Potentially better internet coverage in your neighborhood is the goal of a proposed project being brought before the Kewaunee County Board on Tuesday. Scott Feldt from Bug Tussel has met with the Finance and Purchasing Committee and the Executive Committee this month to discuss their plans to improve the county’s broadband network. The two sides have worked together since their efforts helped secure its first Public Service Commission of Wisconsin grant in 2018. Feldt says Bug Tussel is looking to expand its broadband network in Kewaunee County by extending the “middle mile,” the backbone of the area’s fiber connection. Extending the middle mile would enable Bug Tussel to construct more towers and bring fiber to the home to connect the community better. The proposal laid out by Feldt would also expand coverage into Dyckesville. Bug Tussel is looking for approximately $6 million from Kewaunee County through conduit financing, a way private companies, non-profits, and public entities can raise funds through tax-exempt municipal bonds. Bug Tussel would take on the debt and make all of the payments for the project. At last week’s Executive Committee meeting, Feldt said that the only risk to the county would come if Bug Tussel and its parent company go under.

Feldt and the committee addressed some concerns that have popped up in conversations with other board meetings, including the use of subcontractors, the lack of service in some areas, and the length of its financing agreement.

The Kewaunee County Board will also discuss the use of opioid settlement funds and a Homeland Security exercise grant when it meets on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Kewaunee.

Members of Peninsula Pride Farms hope you will see greener fields in the near future as farmers still struggle to get out into their fields to plant because of the wet spring. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Wisconsin Crop Progress and Condition report, farmers have been unable to have more than four days suitable for fieldwork in a given week for a month. That has caused corn planting to be two weeks behind and soybeans to be over a week behind last year’s pace. The wet conditions have forced to farmers to change plans for some of their fields, even scrapping planting in some cases. Agronomist Nathen Nysse of Peninsula Pride Farms asks farmers to reconsider those plans and to plant at least some kind of cover crop. He says one season of letting weeds take over a field instead of planting could cause even more problems.

Thanks to grants, Nysse adds that Peninsula Pride Farms can help shoulder some of its members' risks with planting in their fields. 

Morning rains kept the crowds down, but the amount of smiles and laughter remained high at the annual Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm hosted by the Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion Committee at Heim's Hillcrest Dairy in Algoma. Organizers had to call an audible the night before the event, asking attendees to park at Luxemburg-Casco High School in an effort to keep as many cars as possible off the farm's saturated fields. Despite the change, there was not an empty seat for the polka mass taking place while volunteers cooked eggs, fried cheese curds, baked pizzas, and scooped ice cream in anticipation of the thousands that have made the annual breakfast on Father's Day tradition. Hundreds of families still participated in the fun of the breakfast, farm tours, and children's activities, but the rainy weather kept the usual long lines from forming. Abby Heim from Heim's Hillcrest Dairy says having such large crowds visit her home farm was still surreal.

 

 

 

 

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Destination Door County President and CEO Julie Gilbert is happy that the impact of a strong tourism economy goes beyond the dollars and cents you may read about after the state released its report last week. Door County saw an economic impact of $620 million in 2023, which was good for a 5.7 percent increase over 2022. Direct visitor spending was also above the state average, with Door County at 5.6 percent higher than the previous year ($497 million in 2023 compared to $470.7 in 2022). While the spending is nice, the positive impact you see in the community is more important to Gilbert. She points to the jobs created and the community investments made as the real power of tourism.

Tourism supported 3,444 jobs in Door County last year, contributing a record $121.6 million. Thanks to room tax revenue, Destination Door County has been able to fund close to 30 projects with $1.2 million.

It is almost time to find your picking buckets as the area’s fruit producers prepare to welcome you back to their fields. Strawberry patches across the area are already having their first crop starting to come off. That is a couple of weeks earlier than usual for Toni Sorenson, who owns Soren’s Valhalla Orchards in Sturgeon Bay. She admits that the combination of the wet spring and heavy soils did no favors for her strawberry crop this year, but she is happy with what is coming out of it so far.

Sorenson says cherries will also be a couple of weeks earlier than usual. She adds that even if this year's crop is lighter, it will be a relief for the trees after two years of bearing lots of fruit during dry summers.

The wet spring will continue into early summer, with at least a 40 percent chance of rain in the forecast for seven of the next ten days.

Photo courtesy of Kathas_Fotos and Pixabay

The mission of Crossroads at Big Creek is to inspire environmental stewardship in learners of all ages and from all backgrounds through education, research, restoration and outdoor experiences.

One of the ways we hope to inspire environmental stewardship this summer is to host  a Resources for Landowners Lecture Series--eight programs  aimed at connecting landowners with the tools and resources available in the Door County for restoring and managing the plant communities on their land.

A number of people have come to us, expressing an interest in embarking on a restoration project.

Some hope to enhance their home landscapes for birds and pollinators by reducing the size of their lawns and planting native trees, shrubs and wildflowers.

Others dream of transforming their property into a native meadow  or a  woodlot or even a private forest refuge, which, while a rewarding endeavor,  is a serious commitment.

Restoration is complicated because every piece of property-due to geology, soil type, weather and land-use history-- is unique.  Restoration can be expensive. It is labor intensive. And it is ongoing…..certainly not a “one and done” project. 

Knowing land-use history is important. Some past practices —done with the very best of intentions—have been detrimental. Take, for example, the beloved Norway spruce plantations at Crossroads, which admittedly are majestic and beautiful.

In her book “Natural Connections 2”, Emily Stone, who recently spoke at Crossroads, wrote: “In its native range in Europe, fast-growing Norway spruce is a commercially important source of wood for lumber. Stradivarius used it to make instruments. Its cones were once employed as weights in grandfather and cuckoo clocks….

“In Wisconsin, the ‘cutover period,’ when most of our original forests were logged to build our rapidly growing country, left the land denuded.  Hopeful immigrants tried to homestead the land and found that the soils were better suited for trees than crops.”

Emily explained that to protect the soils of abandoned farms, and government agencies opted “to grow non-native species in hopes that they wouldn’t be susceptible to insect and disease problems that slowed growth in native species. Scots pine, Austrian pine, and Norway spruce were all given a try.”  Alas, these trees grew fast and have thrived in Door County because it was true. These non-native species did not support insects. But ironically, insects are absolutely essential for a healthy ecosystem.

Insects, predominately caterpillars, eat green leaves, so the energy from the Sun, captured through photosynthesis, is transferred in the form of proteins and fats to baby birds, amphibians, and even mammals and fish. Without a variety of native trees providing food for many species of insects, we would have very little wildlife.

Knowing this, we at Crossroads realized that rows of trees, all the same age, all the same species…...especially Norway spruce, a species on which few insects feed, will not support a healthy ecosystem.

Our goal is to establish a sustainable forest with diverse native trees and shrubs: species on which moths and butterflies lay their eggs and/or flowering trees and shrubs which provide pollen and nectar for pollinators.

Though it looks a bit brutal, we are, a few at a time, killing the Norway spruce and replacing them with insect-supporting native trees. This restoration effort reflects current scientific research.

Fortunately, this region is blessed with several organizations and agencies that can offer evidence-based science, lend equipment, and perhaps provide financial assistance and free seeds.

The first program is scheduled for Thursday, June 20, at 4:30. Mike Grimm will present “Introduction to Land Management Plans and Bio-Inventories.” He will discuss how to evaluate a piece of land and suggest that landowners develop clear and reasonable objectives before embarking on a restoration project.

Thursday, June 20,

4:30 Resources for Land Management Series

Introduction to Land Management Plans and Bio-inventories.

Landowners and community members are invited to join professionals from a variety of organizations to a lecture series to discuss restoration practices and resources. The June program will be presented by Mike Grimm, recently retired from The Nature Conservancy. The program is free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

At least one portion of the Wisconsin 42 project is expected to be finished by the end of next week, almost seven days ahead of schedule. The contractor finished gravel shoulders and pavement markings on the portion of WIS 42 from the southern limits of Egg Harbor to Fish Creek between Rainbow Ridge Court and Bluff Lane. With some final touches still needing to be finished, that portion should be completely open to traffic by June 21st. Further south of the Village of Egg Harbor limits, the contractor will begin grooving and placing permanent pavement markings at the centerline and edge line location on WIS 42 between County T and the mid-junction of WIS 42/57. No work will be performed from noon on June 18 through 6 a.m. on June 20 in anticipation of additional Juneteenth Holiday traffic. You can find the latest update from the Village of Egg Harbor below.

Sturgeon Bay City Engineer Chad Shefchik outlined the work that is on the horizon after he applauded the favorable weather that allowed them to catch up on some of the projects. You can find that list of update projects below:

Next week, the contractor will be pouring concrete on the following roadways:

• S 9th Ave (from Michigan Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• S Hudson Ave (from W Walnut Drive to the south termination)

Also, landscaping restorations will begin next week on:

• Oregon Street (from S 10th Ave to S 7th Ave)
• S 7th Ave (from Oregon Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• S 8th Ave (from Oregon Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• Pennsylvania Street (from S 7th Ave to S 8th Ave)

Recently the landscaping restorations were completed on the following roadways and they are now ready for paving:

• N 18th Place (from Georgia Street to Jefferson Drive)
• Jefferson Drive (from N 18th Place to N 18th Ave)
• Iowa Street (from N 18th Place to N 18th Ave)
• N 12th Place (from Bluebird Street to Eagle Street)
• Eagle Street (from N 12th Place to N 12th Place)
• N Fulton Ave (from W Hickory Street to W Juniper Street)
• N 17th Drive (from Michigan Street to Jefferson Place)
• Louisiana Place (from N 16th Place to N 17th Drive)
• N 16th Drive (from Louisiana Place to Kentucky Place)
• Kentucky Place (from N 16th Place to N 17th Drive)
• N 16th Place (from Louisiana Place to Kentucky Place)
• Huron Street (from N 14th Place to N 15th Place)
• Huron Court (from Huron Street to N 15th Place)
• N 15th Place (from Huron Street to Georgia Street)
• W Maple Street (from Bayfield Ave to Baraboo Ave)

One of the most fulfilling parts about being Sheriff is the opportunity to visit with people throughout the county and get their feedback on concerns or input. One of the most frustrating parts about being Sheriff is the inability to solve many of those concerns. While we have an amazing staff and make the best possible use of the technology and equipment afforded to us, in the end, the greatest impact on our community’s wellbeing and safety comes from the collective effort of each and every member of our community.

We just finished up the month of May, which was Law Enforcement Appreciation month, and there is no doubt that the tireless efforts of these amazing men and women are crucial to the quality of life we enjoy here in Kewaunee County. However, a great deal of the credit also goes to the amazing community we serve and the willingness of everyone to live an honest life, make good choices, and treat each other with respect. Every day, we witness the realities of communities where these fundamentals are not observed and the impact they have on the quality of life in those communities. So, to this point, I would like to share some thoughts on one of the most common concerns I get when I am out and about and how each of us can have an impact on the necessary corrective action.

The primary concern that I hear most often is traffic violations. This is everything from speeding to passing in no-passing zones or failure to stop at controlled intersections. I would add to these, concerns regarding equipment of vehicles ranging from loud exhaust to loud radios. As I thought about how I was going to word this, I was having a conversation with our youngest Son, James, and he coined a phrase I will use here; “Car-mmunication”

Since the advent of the automobile, we, as Americans, have had a special relationship with our individual means of transportation. Our vehicles are in fact an extension of our own identity. From the color to the style and the accessories, we add to them. Similarly, how we operate our motor vehicles is also an extension of our us. Those who have never met us are able to draw conclusions as to our personalities, temperament, and character. This is where the phrase “Car-mmunication” comes to play. It is said that in any given conversation, it is not the actual words we say, but rather in what people see that have the greatest impact. This is known as our “Non-verbal” communication.

As we operate our vehicles from place to place, we are in fact non-verbally communicating or “Car-mmunicating”. When we speed, we are communicating a lack of planning and disrespect for those who did plan and are able to maintain the proper speed. When we follow too closely, we are communicating impatience and aggressiveness. When we pass in a no-passing zone, we are saying to those around us that our lives and theirs mean little in the pursuit of our goals. When we fail to use our directional signals, we communicate that we are oblivious to those around us.

The same can be said for the equipment on our vehicles. If we modify our exhaust, resulting in excessive noise, or play our music at an unreasonable volume, we are communicating our disregard for the peace and tranquility of our community. If, as operators of commercial trucks, we make unnecessary use of our engine brakes, we are communicating that either we lack the skill to operate that vehicle, or again we are just disregarding our community and that we lack the essential character strength of respect.

It all comes down to the accountability we have to each other. I have often felt that placing our names prominently our vehicles would be a great step in this increased accountability, but regardless of our anonymity, we should each consider what our actions especially behind the wheel, are saying about our character. Let’s all make an effort to “Car-mmunicate” respect, patience and care for those around us. While we are at it, maybe consider adding a cheerful wave as we meet. Just remember to use all five fingers!

Mixed in among the produce stands at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market is Door County, which you have never seen before. Paul Haan is one the few full-time photographers you will find in Door County, specializing primarily in landscapes. His favorite pieces involve sunsets and sunrises, but his most in-demand pieces are pictures taken high in the sky. Haan is a commercial drone pilot, and his photographs of shipwrecks, large vessels, and lighthouses draw plenty of praise. His secret? Those pictures are often multiple photographs put together to make one beautiful piece.

Haan started showcasing work at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market last year and became a full-time vendor this year. However, that does not mean that Haan has not already established his market routine from his years living in the city.

Although Mother Nature dictates his schedule slightly more than other vendors, you can find Haan and DoorCo Photo at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon through October 12th. You can hear more from Haan and other Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market vendors by visiting our Faces of the Farmers Market Podcast page.

Blood centers like The Community Blood Center want to meet you where you are to fill a critical need in the area. According to the American Hospital Association, only three percent of the eligible population donates blood the approximately 150 FDA-registered blood centers in the United States. Data from 2021 showed that the percentage of first-time donors dropped from 31 percent to 26 percent, with most of that drop coming from adults 25 and under. That plays a role in the urgent need for blood donations, which dips during the holidays and the summer when people are busy doing other things. Julie Van Groll from The Community Blood Center says it is important for them to increase those numbers and to go where the donors are located.

The Community Blood Center, which provides the blood used at Door County Medical Center for transfusions, will have two blood donation events this month. You can register for the appointments on June 17th at the Door County Government Center and June 29th at the Sturgeon Bay Farmers’ Market by clicking on the links.

Other blood drives coming up through the American Red Cross

Egg Harbor

7/5/2024: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Northern Door Community, 7845 Church St

Sister Bay

7/10/2024: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., First Baptist Church, 2622 S Bayshore Dr

Sturgeon Bay

7/1/2024: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, 229 North 14th Ave

7/10/2024: 10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Bay View Lutheran Church, 340 W Maple St.

7/12/2024: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., YMCA Door County, 1900 Michigan St

After wrapping up the state convention earlier this week, you will find two Luxemburg-Casco FFA members at a national event later this month. Savannah Bailey and Jakayla Steinhorst are two of the eight Wisconsin-based FFA members participating in the Next Gen Conference in Minneapolis beginning on June 25th. Only 68 high school students were selected to participate in the four-day conference out of the potentially thousands of members that could have applied. The conference will take the attendees around to different food processors so they can learn more about food processing systems. Steinhorst says she feels honored to attend the event with Bailey and to take her agricultural journey down a different path.

Steinhorst and Bailey were busy during the Wisconsin State FFA Convention in Madison. Bailey was in the running for a state officer position while Steinhorst participated in the speaking competition and the choir.

Pictures courtesy of Luxemburg-Casco FFA

If you are one of the nearly 6,000 Door County Library cardholders who owe money for overdue materials, Director Dominic Frandrup would love to see you again. Thanks to generous grants from the United Way of Door County and the Door County Library Foundation, outstanding prior fines by patrons have been largely eliminated. In addition to the fine forgiveness, the Door County Library also announced on Thursday that the Door County Library will be fine-free for most adult items and on all children’s books, movies, audiobooks, video games, and board games. Last week, Kewaunee County libraries in Algoma and Kewaunee made a similar announcement, following the lead of the American Library Association, which showed that eliminating fines increased library card sign-up and library use while return rates remained the same. Frandrup hopes that easing that burden will welcome more people back to using the library and its locations around the peninsula.

One exception to the Door County Library’s move to fine-free is for Items that have others waiting for them. Those will still be subject to a 15-cent-per-day late fine. Frandrup reminds library users to return items promptly and look for the yellow Short Loan stickers to know which items are still subject to fines.

Calm waters and a timely response from the United States Coast Guard prevented a potential disaster near Sturgeon Bay on Thursday. Members of the United States Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay responded to a vessel near Rock Quarry in Sturgeon Bay that had lost its steering controls. Coast Guardsmen were able to tow the vessel into the city limits for repairs. According to station officials, a slight increase in the sea state, which was already at three to five feet, could have caused the boat to capsize. We will provide more details as soon as they are available. 

Picture courtesy of BM3 Whatley and U.S. Coast Guard Station Sturgeon Bay 

You can take to the water to celebrate Monday's kickoff of Door County History Days. Organized by the Heritage Alliance of Door County, 15 nonprofit organizations will host more than 30 special programs across the county from June 17th to June 23rd as they work together to showcase the area’s local history. The third annual kicks off on the Washington Island Ferry Line’s boat, The Eyrarbakki, before it takes guests on an exhaustive tour of the island’s historical landmarks. Two of those sites, the Jacobsens Museum and the Jackson Harbor Maritime Museum, are under the watchful eye of director Nina Herbst, who emigrated from the United Kingdom over 20 years ago and has soaked up the local culture since she moved to Door County in 2021.

The Friends of Rock Island State Park, The Ridges Sanctuary, and the Liberty Grove Historical Society will also host presentations as a part of the opening day of Door County History Days. You can find the full schedule of events by clicking this link.

League of Women Voters Door County’s Dan Powers hopes you will have plenty of opportunities to hear from candidates ahead of the August 13th primary. The organization first called for candidate forum requests earlier this month. For the First State Assembly District race, the Republican primary will be a rematch of two years ago, with incumbent Rep. Joel Kitchens facing farmer and Kewaunee County Board Supervisor Milt Swagel. The winner of the race will face Democratic candidate Renee Paplham.  For the Eighth U.S. Congressional District, State Senator Andre Jacque, former State Senator Roger Roth, and businessman Tony Wied are all garnering the Republican nomination after former Rep. Mike Gallagher vacated the seat earlier this year. The winner of the three-way race would face Democratic candidate Kristin Lyerly in the general election.  Other county offices, such as district attorney, may also be on the ballot. Powers says if there is a contested race, they would be open to hosting a candidate forum to help voters get informed about the people vying to serve them.

Powers says they would have to work with other League of Women Voters organizations in northeast Wisconsin if a candidate forum was requested for the Congressional race.

The threat of the bird flu is why you may see some changes for dairy exhibitors in Wisconsin this year. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection announced this week that it requires all lactating dairy cattle to be tested for Influenza A before any fairs and exhibitions, including the Kewaunee County Fair and the Door County Fair. Wisconsin dairy farmers have been spared so far since cases of the bird flu popped up at 93 dairies in 12 states, including neighboring Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota. Extension UW Madison Regional Educator Aerica Bjurstrom says it is believed to be passed around through milk-to-milk contact, which occurs when they are being milked. Bjurstrom adds that even though the disease is not fatal, it can be detrimental to the health of the cows and your bank account if you rely on milk production to make your living.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, the risk of contracting bird flu from consuming dairy products from infected cows is low thanks to the pasteurization process that kills harmful germs. Bjurstrom recommends exhibitors schedule their veterinarians to come to their farm so their show animals can be tested before the Kewaunee County Fair, July 11th-14th, and the Door County Fair, August 14th-18th. You can find the full notice from Wisconsin DATCP below.

You can find another Door County shipwreck on the State Register of Historic Places. The Wisconsin Historical Society announced earlier this month that the Pride shipwreck became the most recent vessel on the list. The Ohio-built schooner rests 250 feet north of the intersection of West Juniper Street and North Lansing Avenue. After being built in 1866, the Pride operated in the Great Lakes lumber and bulk cargo trades until a tornado in Egg Harbor in August 1898 caused it to capsize, killing the ship’s mate. It was righted moved to Sturgeon Bay for repairs, but it was ultimately abandoned around 1900. According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Pride is partially embedded in the lakebed in eight feet of water and still retains its archaeological integrity, with most of the vessel hull components protected by sediment in the bay. Most recently, the Peoria Shipwreck made its way to the State Register of Historic Places before placing it on the National Register in April. 

Picture courtesy of WisconsinShipwrecks.org

The Sevastopol School District announced on Wednesday that Randi Anderson had been selected as the new superintendent, effective July 1st, pending the finalization of contract details. Anderson was unanimously approved for the role during Tuesday's special board of education meeting. Anderson was chosen from a field that included Evansville Community School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Steve Lutzke and Randall Consolidated School District Principal and Curriculum Director Ron Rivard. Before her hiring at Sevastopol, Anderson was the Curriculum and Strategic Planning Consultant for Leading Transormative Solutions LLC, following other stops in the upper Midwest, including serving as the superintendent of schools in Shawano, Wis., and Pelican Rapids, Minn. School Board President Lisa Bieri said that Anderson brings the experience needed to help Sevastopol turn from a very good school district to a great one. “In her tenure as an educator, she has established a clear record of managing budgets, resources, and partnerships to improve student achievement. She brings expertise in strategic planning, curriculum development, long-range facility planning, and personalized learning to ensure all students graduate college, career, and community ready,” Bieri iterated. Anderson is excited to put her 30-year career in education to good use in the district. “My goal is to collaborate closely with educators, parents, and community members to ensure we continue to provide the best possible educational experience for our students,” said Anderson. The district plans a community meet and greet opportunity with Anderson in early July after she officially takes the reins from Kyle Luedtke, who is bound for Frederic, Wis. to take on their superintendent position. 

You can read a letter from Randi Anderson here.

You can be part of a friendly competition in Fish Creek to support the Door County YMCA later this month.  The first-ever Door County YMCA Putt Putt Mini Golf Tournament is scheduled for June 28 and is another example of new ways the YMCA is coming up to support its annual campaign.

Mission Advancement Executive Brett Cleveland says the event is another way the organization can help fund the Membership for All program that helps afford every community member the opportunity to utilize the YMCA in Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek.

Marketing and Event Coordinator Makayla Thoma says the family-friendly event, which features a food truck, raffles, and prizes, is sure to be fun for all ages.

Thoma adds that you can just show up for the fundraising event or register online here. Entry tickets are $30 per person, and the Putt Putt Mini Golf Tournament will be from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. Friday, June 28, at Evergreen Miniature Golf Course off Highway 42 in Fish Creek.

On Monday, one man was transported to the hospital after his vehicle collided with a truck hauling asphalt sealer at the Highway 42-57 and Neenah Avenue intersection.

The crash occurred around noon as Nathan Corrbeille of Bonduel was driving southbound on the highway and attempting to turn left at the intersection when the traffic light turned yellow.  The truck, driven by Kale Hamacher of Sturgeon Bay, was driving northbound through the intersection and stated there was insufficient time for him to stop safely with the vehicle’s load.  Witnesses to the accident could not say if the lights were red or yellow when the truck went through the intersection or before the crash.  

Corrbeille complained of rib pain and was treated by EMS at the scene before being transported to the hospital for evaluation by another person after refusing medical transport.  Hamacher and his one passenger were not injured in the accident.

The police report stated that no citations were issued due to the uncertainty of the traffic light's status at the time of the crash. Due to damage, both vehicles needed to be towed from the scene, and the highway was closed temporarily until the spilled asphalt sealer could dry. 

The traffic, not a timer, will now determine how long you will be waiting at the traffic lights at the intersection of Madison Avenue and Maple Street on Sturgeon Bay’s west side. City Engineer Chad Shefchik announced Tuesday that the new traffic lights are operational and vary slightly from the old ones. He says the old lights outlived their usefulness and had to be constantly reset to stop defaulting into flashing mode. The new system will be run off motion-detecting cameras instead of timers to make the traffic flow more efficient.  

Shefchick adds that pedestrians can initiate a signal change by pushing a button when wanting to cross over from Maple Street or Madison Avenue.  If you do not push the button, the white crossing light will not display.  That feature is a typical DOT standard for all new traffic signals, according to Shefchik, who asked the programmer.   

The 17-year-old Gibraltar High School student who brought a gun to school because he was afraid of a former student will now undergo a competency exam.  Aiden Rice of Sister Bay is facing one felony count for Possession of a Firearm on the Grounds of a School back in March for “protection.”

A competency review will determine if Rice can assist in his defense and if he understands the court proceedings. 

 
In his statement to police, Rice said that a former student led to him bringing a gun to Gibraltar for multiple days until his arrest on March 15. In his criminal complaint, Rice said he was scared of a former student who allegedly pounded on a bathroom door while he was at Wal-Mart a week prior. He added in the complaint that he knew it was illegal to bring the gun, but he had it to protect himself in case the former student showed up.

 
When police arrested Rice in March, the firearm was loaded with five bullets, and six other shells were found in his possession.

 
The competency exam results will be presented at the next hearing set for July 30. 

Lakeshore communities, including Door and Kewaunee counties, will be under an air quality alert Wednesday from noon until 11 p.m. According to the National Weather Service, the air quality will be unhealthy for sensitive groups based on Air Quality Index categories.  The alert is due to weather conditions conducive to ozone production in the area.  Since the air quality could be unhealthy, people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion while everybody else should reduce it.

The National Weather Service says there is the possibility of thunderstorms later this afternoon and tonight, especially in Central Wisconsin.  We will update any warnings or watches if they are issued for Door and Kewaunee counties later today.  

All of the visitors you saw come into Door and Kewaunee counties last year helped the state set another record for tourism. Governor Tony Evers and Wisconsin Department of Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers announced that the state’s tourism industry generated $25 billion in total economic impact in 2023, more than the then-record-setting $23.7 billion in 2022. The state welcomed 113 million visits in 2023, two million more than the previous year, and saw its highest-ever number of overnight guests at nearly 46 million. All 72 counties saw economic impact growth in 2023, with Door County seeing a 5.7 percent increase and Kewaunee County experiencing a 6.5 percent increase. At $620 million, only seven counties had a higher economic impact from tourism than Door County. Only a dozen counties saw a bigger percentage jump year-over-year than Kewaunee County’s 6.5 percent. Destination Door County's Jon Jarosh says it was an encouraging report for the county ahead of the release of their more expansive analysis later this week.

Click here to see the full county-by-county breakdown

Direct visitor spending was also above the state average in Door and Kewaunee counties. Door County’s direct visitor spending was up 5.6 percent ($497 million in 2023 compared to $470.7 in 2022), and Kewaunee County’s was up 6.7 percent ($34 million in 2023 compared to 31.9 in 2022). One in every 21 jobs in the state is sustained by tourism, totaling up to more than 178,000 full-time and part-time jobs.

A Sturgeon Bay couple had to be taken to the hospital after their motorcycle was struck by a pick-up truck Monday afternoon. The accident occurred before 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of State Highway 42/57 and County PD. David Hoffman of Sturgeon Bay was attempting to cross the highway from County PD when he was struck by a motorcycle. The motorcycle was being driven by Matthew Cloutier with Christian Cloutier along for the ride. Matthew said he tried avoiding the collision but could not. When the motorcycle struck the truck, both Cloutiers were ejected from the bike. A witness collaborated with Cloutier’s story, saying that Hoffman pulled out in front of the Cloutiers and that the speed in which they hit the truck was not excessive. Both Cloutiers were wearing helmets at the time of the accident,  but suffered suspected serious injuries and were transported to Door County Medical Center for treatment. Both drivers were cited with Hoffman getting a ticket for failing to yield the right of way from a stop sign and Cloutier for not having a valid motorcycle license. 

Gibraltar alum Will Friedenfels hopes his story of an impulse decision to do what he could to save a life inspires others to do the same. Now a student and a member of the St. Norbert College basketball team, Friedenfels was walking through the campus cafeteria when a table was set up for the marrow donor registry NMDP recruiting people to be a match with a simple mouth swab. When asked if he wanted to save a life, Friedenfels says there was no way he could say no. He admits he forgot he had done when he received a call over spring break saying he was a potential match. Several weeks later, he and his mom, Sandra, were in Seattle helping someone he may never meet get a new lease on life.

Despite the injections and medicines he had to take before the procedure and the recovery afterward, Friedenfels says he is prepared to do it again if his number is called.

According to NMDP, someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer every three to four minutes, with 70 percent of those patients lacking a fully matched donor in their family. A blood stem cell donation like Friedenfels' can help treat or even cure over 75 diseases. You can join the NMDP donor registry by clicking this link. 

Picture courtesy of Sandra Friedenfels

Jeremy Heim hopes Mother Nature does not discourage people from celebrating local agriculture on Sunday when his Algoma operation hosts the Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm. Earlier this month, Brown County and Oconto County experienced record crowds for their annual breakfasts, allowing guests to tour the operation and participate in other activities while enjoying a meal. Heim says the build-up to the event has been exciting for him and his family as they prepare Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy and Heim Brothers Custom to welcome thousands of people.

Despite the chance for showers, the Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm will take place on Sunday. The event will begin at 7 a.m. with a church service, followed by food and other activities at 8 a.m. Due to the rainy weather forecasted, attendees have the option to park on the blacktop at the Luxemburg High School Athletic Complex at 113 North Main Street in Luxemburg. Shuttle buses will start carrying people from Luxemburg at 6:40 am. Handicap parking will be at the farm and field parking is available at the farm to those vehicles with four-wheel drive. 

With summer travel increasing locally, road accident numbers are increasing, and drivers are advised to be more careful, especially at crossroads. Two accidents occurred in the Sturgeon Bay area on Monday afternoon at two intersections on Highway 42-57.  One of the accidents, which occurred at Park Drive just south of the city limits, involved a motorcycle. In the past five years, there have been roughly 2,000 motorcycle crashes every year in Wisconsin.  According to the Wisconsin DOT, those accidents have caused about 1700 injuries and 100 fatalities.   Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski says motorists in larger vehicles must be extra vigilant when driving around motorcyclists.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorcyclists are 27 times more likely to die in a crash than other motorists and four times more likely to be injured.  Wisconsin State Patrol’s June Law of the Month is motorcycle safety, and you can find more tips on staying safer on the roads here.  

You can celebrate Door County’s LGBTQ+ community in several ways as June Pride Month continues worldwide. The Pride Month celebrations started on June 1st when the Miller Art Museum opened its What My Pride? Photography Exhibition at the M3 in Sturgeon Bay, where 20 photographs of people depicting their messages of Pride and what it means to them. A week after the Sturgeon Bay Common Council issued a proclamation for Open Door Pride Month, Northern Door Pride will host their annual event on Tuesday at the Sister Bay Village Hall. Dubbed “The Princess Pride,” the event includes a dragon egg hunt, a fairy tale concert, the announcement of its scholarship winner, and a dance party for adults. The event follows on the heels of an exhibit opening at the Ephraim Historical Society and a party at the Woodwalk Gallery celebrating LGBTQ+ history. Northern Door President Owen Alabado says it means a lot that so many in the county advocate for inclusion.

Pride Month celebrations wrap up on June 29th when Open Door Pride hosts its annual festival at Sturgeon Bay’s Martin Park.

For 59 years, you have been able to help welcome summer by visiting Ephraim’s waterfront to say goodbye to the winter witch. The Ephraim Fyr Bal is a day full of activities throughout the village beginning at 8 a.m. before it culminates with the annual lighting of the bonfire, the welcoming of the community-selected chieftain, and the fireworks over Eagle Harbor. While many activities have been around for nearly six decades, others, like fire dancing, Viking axe throwing, and glass-blowing demonstrations, debuted last year. Ephraim Tourism Council Director of Marketing Kelsey Stone says they have tried hard to ensure there is something for everyone when they attend.

Ephraim’s Fyr Bal often coincides with the summer solstice and it is based on Scandinavian traditions. Last year, GG Paschke was selected as the festival’s Chieftain. You can find this year’s events schedule by clicking this link.

Your kids and their teachers may be just a few days removed from the end of their school year, but area business associations in Door County hope you start thinking about the fall while you are out shopping. The county’s business associations in Baileys Harbor, Carlsville, Door County North, Sister Bay, Sturgeon Bay, Ephraim, Egg Harbor, and Fish Creek are collaborating on their “Support the Door – School Supplies Drive” that is going on now through August. This is a follow-up to an earlier year effort that collected thousands of items for area food pantries. Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Alexa Soto says business association leaders went straight to teachers to learn their greatest needs heading into the fall.

There are drop-off locations throughout the county where you can submit your donations for the school supplies drive. If you are from outside the area and cannot donate in person, click this link to send items in.

There are convenient drop off locations in each community, which are as follows:

Baileys Harbor - Post Office, Town Hall, & Visitor Center

Carlsville - Door County Coffee

Egg Harbor – Donald & Carol Kress Pavilion, Nicolet Bank, & Welcome Center

Ellison Bay – Welcome Center

Ephraim - Post Office

Fish Creek – Information Center

Sister Bay – Information Center & Nicolet Bank

Sturgeon Bay – Destination Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center & Destination Door County Visitor Center

A fresh coat of paint and some new bricks are some of the changes you will see at the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse within Peninsula State Park as the Door County Historical Society tries to take you back to the 1860s during your visit. The organization began some of the stabilization work needed to save the structure despite only being about a third of the way to its fundraising goal of $3.2 million. The lighthouse’s lantern room received some of the most noticeable work with restoration crews giving its red roof back and new UV glass to improve its functionality and prevent additional water leakage. Door County Historical Society Executive Director Amy Frank says they are making great progress restoring the popular attraction to its former glory.

Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources approved a variance allowing the Door County Historical Society to add additional features to the site to expand its historical interpretation areas and other amenities to visitors.

Picture courtesy of Ed Miller

You are potentially down to three weeks remaining on the State Highway 42 projects that have hamstrung motorists on either side of Egg Harbor this spring. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began one portion, which covers WIS 42 between the mid junction with WIS 42/57 in Sturgeon Bay and County T in Egg Harbor, in the beginning of April and started the other portion, which covers the same road from South Village Limits of Egg Harbor to Fish Creek between the intersection of WIS 42 and Rainbow Ridge Court and the intersection of WIS 42 and Bluff Lane, about a month later. North of the village, crews will be working on the roadway’s gravel shoulders and pavement markings throughout the project’s limits. South of the village, the contractor will continue grooving in the centerline rumble strips and begin grooving in the shoulder rumble strips, working from the south to the north. The local traffic through both sections will be controlled by flagging operations, while through traffic is encouraged to use the detour. Both projects are expected to wrap up on June 28th, pending any delays. 

WIS 42 Resurfacing

Location/limits: South Village Limits of  Egg Harbor to Fish Creek between the intersection of WIS 42 and Rainbow Ridge Court and the intersection of WIS 42 and Bluff Lane

Length: 7.0  miles

Cost: $ 2.4 million

Schedule: May 13, 2024 to June 28, 2024

Description of work: This project will include asphalt milling and overlaying of the roadway, pavement marking, centerline and shoulder rumble strips, and other incidental work.

June 3 to June 7: The contractor continued paving WIS 42 from the intersection of Church Road and WIS 42 (north of Egg Harbor) working south, through the village of Egg Harbor. Crews also updated pavement markings and centerline rumble strips.

June 10 to June 14: Gravel shoulders and pavement markings finish this week throughout the project limits.

Traffic impacts: WIS 42 is closed to thru traffic in the village of Egg Harbor.

• Local traffic will be maintained with flagging operations in the closed portion of WIS 42.
• Wis 42 will be open via flagging operations from County EE to Fish Creek
• WIS 42 will be open for the Memorial Day and Juneteenth holidays.
• The roadway may be open on weekends in June.

Detour: Traffic is detoured utilizing WIS 57, County V, County A, and County EE back to WIS 42 north of Egg Harbor. 

Project website: https://projects.511wi.gov/wis42shore/

WIS 42 Resurfacing and Culvert Improvements

Location/limits: From the city of Sturgeon Bay to Egg Harbor between the mid junction with WIS 42/57 and County T.

Length: 12.1 miles

Cost: $6.76 million

Schedule: April 8, 2024 to June 28, 2024

Description of work: This project will include various culvert removal and replacements, culvert transition excavation, concrete curb and gutter, asphalt milling and overlaying of the roadway, pavement marking, centerline and shoulder rumble strips, and other incidental work.

June 3 to June 7: The contractor completed the paving of the surface lift of asphalt and placed temporary pavement markings working from the south to the north. The contractor also began grooving in the centerline rumble strips.

June 10 to June 14: The contractor will continue grooving in the centerline rumble strips and begin grooving in the shoulder rumble strips working from the south to the north. The contractor will place gravel shoulder material from the south to the north.

Traffic impacts: WIS 42 is closed to through traffic between the WIS 42/57 Mid Junction and County T.

• Local traffic will be maintained through flagging operations in the closed portion of WIS 42.
• WIS 42 will be open for the Memorial Day and Juneteenth holidays.
• The roadway may be open on weekends in June.

Detour: Traffic is detoured utilizing WIS 57, County V, County A, and County EE back to WIS 42 north of Egg Harbor. 

Project website: https://projects.511wi.gov/wis42shore/

You can leave your wallet in your pocket the next time you return an overdue book at the Kewaunee or Algoma public libraries. Beginning on June 10th, overdue fines will no longer accrue on adult print materials checked from the two libraries. The decision comes three years after the two libraries went fine-free on children and teen print materials. The practice is becoming more common across the country after the American Library Association showed evidence that eliminating fines increased library card sign-up and library use while return rates remained the same. Kewaunee Public Library Director Carol Petrina says not only are they seeing more families come in, but she can sense the relief families have when they do not have to worry about returning the books on time.

Petrina says the fines collected from overdue books often went to their programming needs, but it was not a consistent or substantial amount to count on annually. While Kewaunee County libraries have gone free, neighboring library systems that residents may rely on or have not followed suit. The Door County Library assesses a fee of 15 cents per day on most late materials to a maximum of $5. Brown County has gone fine-free for children’s print materials, but adult print materials range from 10 cents to 25 cents per day. For all of the libraries, you are in charge of replacing the item if it goes missing.

"Under" will be described in discussions about groundwater during the "Door County Well Monitoring Program" on Thursday, June 13. 

"Over" will be the focus of the Bat Hike as we gaze upward at the evening skies at the Ida Bay Preserve on Friday .  

"Across" and "through" is how approximately four hundred walkers and runners will explore our bridges and hiking trails during the 15th Annual  Crossroads Trail Run on Saturday, June 15. "Beyond" is the topic for the Door County Beekeepers as they discuss "Swarm and Swarm Management. "on Tuesday, June 18.

Certainly, the Crossroads Trails Run is the biggest event. Door County’s first trail run welcomes runners and walkers of all ages and abilities to choose a 2k, 5k, or 10k distance at Crossroads at Big Creek Nature Preserve on June 15th, 2024, at 8:00 am, with chip-timing to allow for a staggered start by route.

Interested runners and walkers should visit the Crossroads website for details and maps of the three routes. The 2K route is essentially a level pathway. But the 5K and 10K go "over" the "bridges and "through" a series of fascinating habitats...our recharged Big Creek, wetlands filled with flowers, forest fresh with summer foliage, and meadows filled with flowers and butterflies.  (Little wonder that our participants return after the run)

Runners receive a Trail Run tee-shirt and a native American Arborvitae tree courtesy of Evergreen Nursery after-race snacks. Individual awards are based on chip timing. 

The Crossroads Trail Run promotes wellness and healthy living, multi-generational recreation, and increases community awareness of ‘green’ living. 

Most of us know clean water is essential for wellness and healthy living. The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC), in collaboration with the Door County Department of Public Health, has, for years, conducted a study to build a database of groundwater quality in Door County. The public is invited to attend a forum about the results of the 2024 spring season. The presentation will provide an avenue for residents and guests to have the most accurate information on drinking water quality and to be proactive with respect to drinking water research. The program is free and open to the public. 

Space is limited for Friday, June 14, at 8:30 p.m. Nighttime Bat Hike, so reservations are required. Hikers will watch and listen to see if bats are flying "above" the Ida Bay Preserve during the brief twilight period during which they hunt. Check the Crossroads website for details.

Of course, in summer, honeybees are very active. Sometimes their colonies grow so fast they outgrow their hives, or the queen can no longer influence them all. In that situation, Bees swarm, and groups of bees numbering in the thousands leave their hives and travel "beyond."

At the  Tuesday, June 18  6:30 meeting of the Door County Beeekeepers Club, Dan Ziehli  will present "Swarms and Smarm Management", discussing this somewhat alarming, but natural honeybee behavior. Meetings are free and open to the public.

Thursday, June 13

5:00 pm  Door County Well Monitoring Program

In collaboration with the Door County Department of Public Health, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) is conducting a study to build a groundwater quality database in Door County. The public is invited to attend a forum about the results of the 2024 spring season.

Meet at the Collins Learning Center,  2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI, United States

Friday, June 14  

 8:30 pm Nighttime Bat Hike at Crossroads

Grab your headlamps and walking sticks for a fun, casual, and educational guided hike through one of our trails. Explore Crossroads after dark while listening and looking for the bats…

Space is limited, so RSVP on the Crossroads at Big Creek website  http://www.crossroadsatbigcreek.org, and you will receive details.

Saturday, June 15                                                                                                                                                        

 8:00 Crossroads Trail Run

Door County’s first trail run welcomes runners & walkers of all ages and abilities to choose a 2k, 5k, or 10k distance at Crossroads at Big Creek Nature Preserve on June 15th, 2024, at 8:00 am, with chip-timing to allow for a staggered start by the route. Interested runners and walkers should visit the Crossroads website for details and maps of the three routes. 

Runners receive a Trail Run tee-shirt and a native American Arborvitae tree courtesy of Evergreen Nursery post-race snacks. Individual awards are based on chip timing. Visit the Crossroads at Big Creek website for more information and to register.

June 18 @ 6:30 pm 

Door County Beekeeper Club: 

At the monthly meeting, Topic: Swarms and Swarm Management
Presenter: Dan Ziehli will present a program on "Swarms and Swarm Management, answering many questions about this natural honeybee behavior.

Visitors are welcome. 

Meet in the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Before you can catch your favorite big band jazz, symphony, and percussion ensemble shows inside the barn at Birch Creek Music Performance, much work still needs to be done. With opening day slated for June 20th with the first percussion, steel pan, and world music show, the campus will begin to fill up over the coming ten days. The first staff members will begin their training and preparation on Sunday, with the first students moving in the following weekend. With large ensembles expected to participate through the fall with their adult music retreats, Executive Director Mona Christensen says she is excited for the season.

Tickets are on sale now for the upcoming season with the percussion, steel pan, and world music session beginning on June 20th, the symphony session on July 4th, and the first of two big band jazz sessions beginning on July 17th. You can listen to our full interview with Christensen by clicking this link.

Bug Tussel is looking for approximately $6 million in loans from Kewaunee County to help start the next phase of its broadband plan. Scott Feldt from Bug Tussel and the Kewaunee County Finance and Purchasing Committee spoke about the plan for over 30 minutes on Friday to help improve the county’s broadband network. The two sides have worked together since their efforts helped secure its first Public Service Commission of Wisconsin grant in 2018. Feldt says Bug Tussel is looking to expand its broadband network in Kewaunee County by extending the “middle mile,” which serves as the backbone of the area’s fiber connection. Extending the middle mile would enable Bug Tussel to construct more towers and bring fiber to the home to connect the community better. The proposal laid out by Feldt would also expand coverage into Dyckesville. With a $6 million price tag, Bug Tussel is requesting Kewaunee County to join them in conduit financing, which is a way private companies, non-profits, and public entities can raise funds through tax-exempt municipal bonds. Drawing comparisons to Bug Tussel’s work in other counties like Fond du Lac, Iowa, and Lafayette, Feldt says several steps would have to take place before they could issue their own bonds for the project in September.

Much of the discussion revolved around the requirements of previously acquired Broadband Equity Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funding. No action was taken at the meeting, and the matter will be discussed further at the county’s executive committee meeting on Monday. 

You can explore the history of Door County’s indigenous tribes the next time you visit the Door County Historical Society’s Heritage Village as a part of a new exhibit. Thanks to a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization installed the 10-panel “Door County’s First Peoples” exhibit highlighting the tribes that called Door County home. The exhibit is also the result of many months of hard work by DCHS Curator and Interpretations Coordinator Michaela Kraft, who did the research behind the tribes like the Ho-Chunk that settled in the area. Executive Director Amy Frank says it is important for residents and visitors to learn about the area’s Native American past from their point of view.

The exhibit will be dedicated in a ceremony on Saturday at 1 p.m. Wanda McFaggen, the St. Croix Tribal Historic Preservationist of the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin, will give a presentation about the state’s burial mounds and their role in its indigenous history.

If Mother Nature allows, you will find summer fun on either end of the peninsula on Saturday, complete with goats, jugglers, and more.
In Sturgeon Bay, the city, the Door County YMCA, and the Door County Public Health Department are again joining forces to host its Kickoff to Summer Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Several organizations and businesses are also working together to provide several opportunities for families to participate, including a rock climbing wall, a Lego block party, emergency personnel demonstrations, and more. Municipal Services Administrative Assistant Colleen DeGrave says seeing the event and the community become more involved over the years has been great.

In Sister Bay, the 10th annual Roofing of the Goats Parade and Festival will take place at 11 a.m. at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant. The annual event celebrates the official return of the goats to the famed grassy rooftop with a parade down Highway 42. The parade complements a day-long celebration around the restaurant’s campus.

You’ll be able to enjoy one of the final dairy breakfasts in the state a day earlier than usual this July. Traditionally held on the first Sunday of July, the Sevastopol FFA and its alumni announced that it will take place this year on July 6th, the month’s first Saturday. It will take place at Country View Dairy Farm in Sturgeon Bay, which will highlight its milking and syrup operations. It is not the first time the adjustment has been made, but it was usually done out of respect for the county’s Independence Day celebrations on July 4th. Sevastopol FFA Alumni Treasurer Tim Ash says the change is to better accommodate its volunteers who put in a 12-14 hour day to make the event happen and to coordinate with the travel plans of its large tourist base that uses Sunday as a travel day. Two things that will not change are the food options featuring Door County products and the large impact they have on the Sevastopol FFA program.

After Brown County kicked things off last weekend with over 8,000 at its annual Breakfast on the Farm, close to 40 similar events will occur across the state to celebrate June Dairy Month. That includes next weekend’s Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm at Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy in Algoma on Father’s Day. 

The nicer weather means you are venturing outside more, but pests like ticks and mosquitoes are likely joining you for the experience. The combination of a mild winter and a wet spring has made it the perfect time for the pests to start wreaking havoc. For ticks, the mild winter allowed them to stay relatively active all year long. That means an increased opportunity for you to be exposed to Lyme disease potentially, caused by bacteria carried by approximately 50 percent of the deer tick population. Kewaunee County Public Health Nurse Cindy Kinnard says long sleeves and pants and a few spritzes of a bug spray high in deet will help deter ticks from latching on to you.

As for the mosquitos, the wet weather has allowed standing water to pool up in areas and form the perfect area for the breeding ground. Kinnard says some of the same techniques you use for ticks will work for mosquitoes, along with some other tactics that can help you not get bit.

Mosquitos are often blamed for carrying West Nile disease, which has averaged 11 cases a year since 2018, including six confirmed cases in 2022.  

Southern Door High School social studies teacher Troy Pertzborn will attend a prestigious institute this summer in Washington, D.C. Pertzborn was one of 60 nationally selected to participate this year at the Supreme Court Summer Institute.  Open to law-related and civic education teachers, the Institute allows instructors to study recent Supreme Court cases and learn from Supreme Court lawyers, reporters, and scholars while bringing back ideas for their own classroom. 

Upon learning of the acceptance, Pertzborn says he is excited and looking forward to this exceptional professional opportunity. He plans to use this experience to enhance his instructional methods in courses, particularly his Constitutional Law class. 

The five-day Supreme Court Summer Institute begins next Thursday for Pertzborn.  Street Law, Inc. and the Supreme Court Historical Society sponsor the Institute, which teaches people about law, democracy, and human rights worldwide. 

You can travel throughout Brown, Door, and Kewaunee counties this weekend, soaking in the area’s maritime history during the Door County Spring Lighthouse Festival. More than a dozen different tours are available for people to choose from, allowing guests to get an up-close look at the area’s collection of lighthouses. Some of the lighthouses featured during the three-day event are only available for public tours during the festival. This spring, Door County Maritime Museum Deputy Director Sam Perlman says they looked at ways they could make the festival weekend even more accessible to people who may not have the time or the funds to participate in learning about the area’s history otherwise.

While some tours may be sold out, you can click on this link to see what’s available. The Door County Lighthouse Festivals, which also takes place in October, is one of the biggest fundraising efforts of the year for the Door County Maritime Museum.

You will not have to wait in lines this summer to attend the Kewaunee County Fair and the Door County Fair if you log onto your computer or smartphone beforehand.

Both fair committees unveiled digital ticketing options for their respective events this July in Kewaunee County and August for Door County. For Kewaunee County Fairgoers, it will mean scanning a QR code before you pick up your wristband for the day. The Door County Fair takes it one step further with its digital ticketing. You will scan a barcode that will be scanned every day. Door County Fair Vice President Aaron Ash says the decision was made because of a shortage of workers at the gate, visitor feedback, and attendance tracking. While it will be an adjustment, Ash says there will be other benefits.

You can still buy your tickets on the day of the fair and use cash if you would like. You can visit each event’s website to purchase your tickets. The Kewaunee County Fair is scheduled for July 11th-14th, while the Door County Fair is slated for August 14th-18th.

No one had to be transported to the hospital, but two motorists did have to receive medical attention following an accident in Sturgeon Bay on Wednesday. Shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nickolas Marquardt of Sturgeon Bay was turning out of a local business onto Egg Harbor Road when he struck another vehicle, driven by Harlan Rothmeyer of Sturgeon Bay, traveling west on the roadway. According to the crash report, Marquardt admitted looking but did not see Rothmeyer driving down the road. Marquardt complained of shoulder pain, and Rothmeyer suffered a small scrape near his hairline and pain on the left side of his head. Both were checked out by responding emergency personnel and were released at the scene. Marquardt was cited for driving without insurance and failing to yield to the right of way. 

As approximately 150 American veterans who took part in the D-Day Invasion mark the 80th anniversary in Normandy, France, many will remember the courage and sacrifice of those soldiers in Door and Kewaunee counties. A part of the larger Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy saw nearly 160,000 Allied troops land on the beach on June 6th, 1944, 73,000 of which hailed from the United States. According to the Military Times, more than 4,400 Allied troops died on D-Day, including over 2,500 Americans. Around 7,000 ships and boats were a part of the invasion, including the PC-1261. Built in Sturgeon Bay, Sam Perlman of the Door County Maritime Museum says it was the first ship that sank on that day, and it remains one of the important stories they continue to tell.

Another one of those ships that participated in the invasion was Tug Major Wilbur Fr. Browder, which today is known as the Tug Ludington moored in Kewaunee Harbor. Speaking last month, Tug Ludington Commitee Jim Schaller says it has been well worth the money for the city to purchase it and offer free tours to visitors.

The Tug Ludington will center the City of Kewaunee’s D-Day Remembrance event on June 8th at 10 a.m. The event, which coincides with the Spring Door Peninsula Lighthouse Festival orchestrated by the Door County Maritime Museum, will also feature a wreath laying at the tug, military vehicle displays, and a ceremony featuring members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Some changes could come your way if you plan on voting absentee this fall. A court case scheduled to be heard this week in Marinette County is asking a judge to require voters to return a signed copy of their absentee voting request with the ballot they return for their vote to count. Currently, those wishing to vote absentee must be registered with the state before logging onto the MyVoteWI website to answer a few questions, including which ballots you want delivered to your home.

The same lawsuit also wants election officials not to use a redesigned absentee ballot certificate envelope because of language printed on the ballot stating that the envelope is “an original or copy of voters’ original absentee ballot request” is misleading. The newly designed envelopes use bolded text and full-color designs to help voters find all the places they should fill out before mailing their ballot back. Common Cause Wisconsin Executive Director Jay Heck says the challenge could be successful in lower courts but expects it will struggle on its way through the court system. He believes the case is a ruse to confuse voters ahead of the fall election cycle despite the absentee voting changes being approved bipartisanly.

According to WisconsinWatch, Marinette County Circuit Court Judge James Morrison was supposed to have heard the case on Wednesday, but he accepted a request from intervenors Disability Rights Wisconsin and the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin for a substitute judge.

A few clicks of your mouse can help local emergency personnel with your family and friends in times of need. Introduced earlier this month by the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles, you can now list your emergency contact information as a part of your DMV record. Currently, dispatchers and law enforcement have to comb through multiple records to find who you may be connected to if you are in an emergency and cannot tell them the necessary information. Through this program, Door County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Pat McCarty says it will streamline the process to help them find the right people quicker.

You can click this link to fill out the emergency contact form with the DMV. Part of the To Inform Families First (TIFF) law signed last year by Governor Tony Evers, the program is voluntary, and the information given to the DMV will not appear on the identification card itself.

Mother Nature will soon give you a break from the severe weather events the state has seen this spring. Statewide, there have already been more tornadoes this year (23) through five months than last year (21), equaling the yearly average. One of those tornadoes tore through Washington Island late last month, knocking out power for several days for some island residents and causing thousands of dollars in damage. The area has also seen more rain than it is used to, with Sturgeon Bay over four inches above average, and some areas in the state are eight inches above normal. Weatherology meteorologist Michael Karow says a weakening El Nino system transitioning into La Nina is to blame.

Though more rain is forecast for Wednesday, the area is expected to get a break from it over the next week. 

You will see more youth development and healthy living opportunities at the Door County YMCA after the organization’s record-breaking Annual Campaign concluded last week.  This year’s fundraising campaign, fueled by the generous support of local businesses, individual donors, and dedicated volunteers, raised over $602,000 for the organization.  

Youth and Healthy Living Coordinator Mae Daniels says the additional funds will make a huge difference in the community and the future of programming at the YMCA in Fish Creek and Sturgeon Bay.

CEO Tonya Felhofer added, “On behalf of our staff here at the Door County Y, I’d like to thank all of our generous donors and community partners who have contributed to our Annual Campaign success.  The coming year brings many new opportunities to serve our mission and impact our community, and I look forward to working with all of our community partners and stakeholders to meet the needs of the Door County community.”

You can listen to the entire interview with Mae Daniels, who also shares the new upcoming classes being offered at the Door County YMCA later this month here.

You will still see familiar faces when you stop by Bay Marine in Sturgeon Bay despite it being acquired by a Texas-based company this month.

Earlier this week, TopSide Marinas announced it has purchased Bay Marine, which has locations in Sturgeon Bay and Waukegan, Ill. The addition now puts TopSides Marinas in six states, covering ten locations. In their announcement, TopSides Marinas was complimentary of Mark and Matt Felhofer, who led renovation efforts of the Sturgeon Bay marina in 2022. “Matt and Mark Felhofer have built an impressive business at these two outstanding locations. We regard them highly and are excited to partner with them as they grow Bay Marine Yacht Sales to one of the largest yacht brokerage firms in the region,” said Jacob Boan, co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of TopSide Marinas. The Felhofers are not going anywhere as they will continue to own and operate Bay Marine Yacht Sales, which will lease back showroom and office space in Sturgeon Bay and Waukegan as a part of the agreement. Matt Felhofer says it is an exciting transition for the company and its team of 40 employees. “The marine industry has seen dramatic consolidation over the past several years, and TopSide Marinas presented a unique opportunity for us to bring in a partner that has the knowledge, expertise, and capital to take our existing service, storage, and marina businesses to the next level while allowing our sales team to focus on growing our key brands throughout the Great Lakes market.”

Picture courtesy of Bay Marine

Sturgeon Bay took action on Tuesday, moving forward with a significant housing development off Maple Street on the City's west side.
 
After a 25-minute presentation by Destination Door County and Mayor David Ward's proclamation of Open Door Pride Month, three public comments supported the apartment concept but questioned the overall project's size. The Sturgeon Bay Common Council then unanimously approved the financial incentives for the Sawyer Park Flats, directing staff to craft a development agreement with conditions for the 54-unit, four-story apartment building near the City's waterfront.  The conditions would include a time frame for the development agreement, zoning, no short-term rentals allowed, and construction must begin by March 1, 2025.  The vote was unanimous yet yielded a 15-minute discussion and comments made by council members before the motion.
 
In another action Tuesday evening, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council approved a Planned Unit Development for a parcel of 1.47 acres near 15th Drive before the council approved a first reading for the rezoning of multiple-family residential (R-4) to Planned Unit Development subject to a site plan and requirements. Also, an agreement was approved between the DCEDC and the City of Sturgeon Bay for the defederalization of funds, which allows them to be used more generally.   

Mayor Ward made several appointments with local boards and committees before the discussion on agenda items began. 

Midsummer's Music is ready to introduce you to the sounds of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bach, and more during its 34th season, which commences on June 13th. The summer tradition will once again host concerts throughout the peninsula from Ellison Bay to Sturgeon Bay at a variety of venues. The season will be a celebration of life for Midsummer's Music co-founder Jean Berkenstock, who passed away last fall. Executive Director Allyson Fleck says she inspired some of the arrangements selected for this season.

The 34th season will also feature Composer-in-Residence Will Healy showcasing his latest work inspired by Bach. Because of the size and variety of venues used by Midsummer's Music this year, Fleck encourages you to buy your tickets early and take advantage of its encore program, allowing you to see the same program twice. 

A kitten is looking for a new home after the Luxemburg Community Fire Department members rescued it from a storm sewer near Colle Street on Sunday afternoon.

The Luxemburg Police Department called firefighters into action when they were alerted that the kitten was stuck in the pipe between the two catch basins. A nearby car accident distracted them from their efforts, but Lt. Bob Romuald said they were able to hatch a plan by using a little water to flush the kitten out to safety. 

A veterinarian was able to take the kitten to clean it up and look for other ailments. Romuald suggests it could be up for adoption in the near future.

The Sevastopol School District has added one more name to the list of candidates they plan on interviewing for its superintendent position. Last week, it was announced that Leading Transormative Solutions LLC Curriculum and Strategic Planning Consultant Randi Anderson and Evansville Community School District Interim Superintendent Dr. Steve Lutzke would participate in the final round of interviews on June 5th. On Tuesday, the district announced that Randall Consolidated School District Principal and Curriculum Director Ron Rivard was also in the mix. Rivard's career in education has taken him across southern Wisconsin to places like Muskego, Oak Creek, Waterford, and South Milwaukee, where he has served as a teacher, principal, and curriculum director.

During the final interviews, Anderson, Lutzke, and Rivard will tour the building, meet with a stakeholder team comprised of students, staff, administrators, parents, and community members, and speak with the Board of Education one final time before making a decision. 

 The new superintendent will take office on July 1st, replacing Kyle Luedtke, who resigned earlier this year to take on the superintendent role at Frederic School District. 

You will have two Republican primaries to consider when you head to the polls in August.

The filing deadline for those wishing to run for office this fall was Monday evening. The First State Assembly District and the Eighth U.S. Congressional District, both of which represent Door and Kewaunee counties, have multiple Republican candidates that will need to be whittled down before the November election.

For the Eighth U.S. Congressional District, State Senator Andre Jacque, former State Senator Roger Roth, and businessman Tony Wied are all garnering the Republican nomination after former Rep. Mike Gallagher vacated the seat earlier this year. The winner of the three-way race would face Democratic candidate Kristin Lyerly in the general election.  Jacque currently represents Door and Kewaunee counties in the State Senate, and a special election will have to be held if his congressional bid is successful. The DePere Republican was drawn out of representing Door and Kewaunee counties through the latest redistricting efforts that are reshaping other races throughout the state.

For the First State Assembly District race, the Republican primary will be a rematch of two years ago, with incumbent Rep. Joel Kitchens facing farmer and Kewaunee County Board Supervisor Milt Swagel. The winner will face Democratic candidate Renee Paplham. The primary is set for August 13th, while the general election is scheduled for November 5th. 

The long stretches of rain over the past few weeks have impacted some farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties when it comes to getting their crops in this spring.  The USDA’s Wisconsin Ag News Crop Progress and Conditions report released Monday showed that the state had only 3.3 suitable days for fieldwork last week.  Corn planting was seven days behind last year and two days behind the average, with 84 percent completion.  Soybeans were 82 percent complete and five days behind last year but two days ahead of the average.  Rich Olson from Olson Family Farms in southern Door County says it has been a struggle to get everything planted this spring with the wetter-than-normal conditions.  He notes that some areas will not be planted this year due to the standing water and saturated fields.

Olson notes that some areas in Door County have been more fortunate and farmers have been able to get their entire crops planted while being able to harvest their alfalfa before heavy rainfalls.  The rainfall amounts in Door County reportedly reached over six inches in the month of May, twice the normal expected rainfall for the month.  It doesn’t look like the farmers will get a reprieve in the short run, as the National Weather Service is forecasting a better than 70 percent chance of additional rainfall through Wednesday. 

With school out of session until the fall, you will see many ways kids will continue learning throughout the summer months. In Sister Bay, the summer means the return of the Camp Cool Day Camp Program. Every year, Northern Door Children’s Center staff members coordinate classroom activities and field trips with a creative theme. In Casco, Lisa Cochart organizes a special storytime featuring community members to kick off the week for her students enrolled in the summer program at Casco Kidz Zone. Cochart feels it is important to keep things exciting for her students all summer to encourage learning and other skills.

Over the weekend, the Door County Library kicked off its summer reading program with the theme of “Adventure Begins at Your Library.” You can participate in the program through the Beanstack app and find additional activities throughout the summer by clicking on this link. It is all about preventing the “summer slide,” a term used for students who could potentially lose some of the gains made during the previous school year if do not engage in educational activities.

A familiar face in the Luxemburg-Casco community will lead the school district’s high school into the future. On Monday, the Luxemburg-Casco School District announced that Tyson Tlachac is taking the reins from retiring high school principal Troy Haws. Tlachac graduated from Luxemburg-Casco High School in 2003 before continuing his studies at UW-Milwaukee, where he received a bachelor’s degree in biology and life/environmental science and a master’s degree in administrative leadership and supervision. He has spent the last 17 years in education, which included being the principal at Tenor High School in Milwaukee and, most recently the, the athletic and activities director at Racine St. Catherine’s High School. Luxemburg-Casco School District Superintendent said that Tlachac had “a keen understanding of both the instructional leadership and building leadership needed to be the principal of a successful high school” and that his familiarity with the duties of being a principal and the area made him a good fit. Tlachac believes that culture, communication, collaboration, and accountability are keys to success in education. “I want the L-C community to know that they’re getting a genuine person who cares and who is going to do everything possible to provide the best experience and education for their child,” Tlachac says. “Coming in, I want to develop strong relationships with the students, parents, staff and community – get to know them well and let them know me.” Haws served as Luxemburg-High School Principal for seven and a half years before retiring this spring, concluding a 30-year relationship with the district and a 37-year career in education.

The state’s smallest school district proved once it again it could take on the world at this year’s International SeaPerch Challenge in Baltimore over the weekend. Washington Island’s Fast and Furious team took 19th out of 71 teams, which was also good for the top team from Wisconsin. In individual categories, it took fifth in the mission challenge, 25th in the obstacle challenge, and 43rd in the tech design report. The final ranking marks the second highest out of the four schools competing at the international challenge. 

Team Anglerfish from Mayport Middle School in Atlantic Beach, Fla., was the overall winner for the middle school stock class. A team from Aldo Leopold Community School in Green Bay also represented the state in the competition. The Door County Maritime Museum was among the major supporters of the SeaPerch program at Washington Island and schools across the county. 

Interview with teacher Matt Sullivan and students, Tug, Kindsey, and Marlee

Pictures courtesy of Washington Island School 

The state’s portion of major improvements on Wisconsin 42 is in its final month, depending on possible delays. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation began one portion, which covers WIS 42 between the mid junction with WIS 42/57 in Sturgeon Bay and County T in Egg Harbor, in the beginning of April and started the other portion, which covers the same road from South Village Limits of Egg Harbor to Fish Creek between the intersection of WIS 42 and Rainbow Ridge Court and the intersection of WIS 42 and Bluff Lane, about a month later.

Both projects right now saw construction workers paving the roadway as they work toward their goal date of June 8th. Up north, all paving is now completed north of the intersection of Church Road and WIS 42 (north of Egg Harbor) to the north project limit of Bluff Lane and WIS 42 (Fish Creek). This coming week, crews will continue paving and milling within the village of Egg Harbor while the village continues working on sidewalks, street lighting, and curb and gutter. In the southern portion of the project, contractors will continue to pave the surface and place temporary pavement as they work north.

Local traffic is allowed through the construction areas, but they will encounter flagging operations controlling the area. Motorists can still use the detour that uses WIS 57 and County Roads V, A, and EE to get around the construction. The roadway will be open to traffic on Juneteenth (June 19th) and on the weekends.

You can read an update from the Egg Harbor Business Association about the village’s WIS 42 project below.

The City of Sturgeon Bay also has a bevy of road construction projects underway as we head into the summer. Below is a list of those projects from City Engineer Chad Shefchik:

The contractor will be pouring concrete on the following roadways:

• S 9th Ave (from Michigan Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• S Hudson Ave (from W Walnut Drive to the south termination)

Also, landscaping restorations will begin this week on:

• Oregon Street (from S 10th Ave to S 7th Ave)
• S 7th Ave (from Oregon Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• S 8th Ave (from Oregon Street to Pennsylvania Street)
• Pennsylvania Street (from S 7th Ave to S 8th Ave)

Recently the landscaping restorations were completed on the following roadways and they are now ready for paving:

• N 18th Place (from Georgia Street to Jefferson Drive)
• Jefferson Drive (from N 18th Place to N 18th Ave)
• Iowa Street (from N 18th Place to N 18th Ave)
• N 12th Place (from Bluebird Street to Eagle Street)
• Eagle Street (from N 12th Place to N 12th Place)
• N Fulton Ave (from W Hickory Street to W Juniper Street)
• N 17th Drive (from Michigan Street to Jefferson Place)
• Louisiana Place (from N 16th Place to N 17th Drive)
• N 16th Drive (from Louisiana Place to Kentucky Place)
• Kentucky Place (from N 16th Place to N 17th Drive)
• N 16th Place (from Louisiana Place to Kentucky Place)
• Huron Street (from N 14th Place to N 15th Place)
• Huron Court (from Huron Street to N 15th Place)
• N 15th Place (from Huron Street to Georgia Street)
• W Maple Street (from Bayfield Ave to Baraboo Ave)

When it comes to Sturgeon Bay’s west waterfront, city officials are opting to go with housing over a hotel for the parcel.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council is expected to weigh in on financial incentives for the Sawyer Park Flats and direct city staff members to begin creating a development agreement with conditions. Developers have been jockeying for the site over the last several months. A 53-unit apartment building had been previously approved for the site at 54 E. Maple Street, but the project fell through due to the higher-than-anticipated construction costs and interest rates.

Cobblestone Hotels has also expressed interest in the site after it failed to agree to purchase the land near 12th Avenue and Egg Harbor Road. In March, the developers asked for approximately $1.32 million in incentives, which the city believes can be covered using funds from Tax Increment District #4 thanks to a guaranteed property value assessment of $7 million. As a part of the proposed agreement, the city would have sold the parcel to Cobblestone Hotels for $1 and be required to construct a new public parking lot. In this proposal, the city would sell First & Main Properties, LLC, the parcel for $ 1, and give approximately $2.8 million in incentives to build the 54-unit building, which would carry a guaranteed property value assessment of $13.6 million.

According to the staff report, the city encourages the council to go with the Sawyer Park Flats because it provides a greater value to the TID and a higher value to the other tax authorities once it closes. The report also encourages city leaders to continue working with Cobblestone Hotels representatives on potential other sites in the city’s downtown.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council will also look at recommendations to approve a Planned Unit Development for a parcel near 15th Drive and to defederalize funds between the Door County Economic Development Corporation and the city when it meets on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The Augusta Club, formerly the iconic Florian II Supper Club in Baileys Harbor, will open in July after staying in the Kwaterski family, who has owned it since 1953.  Twin brothers Jerry and Joe Kwaterski, along with their wives Mindy and Tina, respectively, sold the property to Jerry’s son Shane and daughter-in-law Maddy at the end of 2023. The new name of “Augusta Club” is in honor of Shane’s great-grandmother, Augusta Walther, who created many of the original supper club’s recipes.  Opening on July 4th, the facility will initially focus on live music and entertainment on Tuesdays, along with hosting community and private events with a full bar offering light food and snacks.  Shane and Maddy say they are proud to keep the property and building in the family for a fourth generation. 

Jerry and Joe took over the business from their parents, Florian and Ada, in 1972 after the FlorAda Club burned down in 1971 from an electrical fire.

With the school year winding down and the summer season beginning, things are changing at Crossroads at Big Creek. We no longer are hosting school field trips, but we are seeing more Door County visitors, more families, and quite a few runners of all ages, presumably training for the upcoming Crossroads Trail Run. But few things change as much or as fast as our namesake, Big Creek.

Transforming from a sluggish trickle at the end of winter to a roiling stream spreading into its floodplain, Big Creek changes almost as quickly as the weather, and there is indeed a correlation. From wind and air pressure (which pushes water into the estuary) to all forms of precipitation (anywhere in our watershed), weather influences the water level and velocity. And as the creek changes, so do the habitats around it.

Areas that were crusty and dry last summer are once again wetlands, teeming with birds and insects and lush with drifts of stunning summer wildflowers….buttercups, Canada anemones, and blue flag iris, to name a few.

Families are invited to get a bird’s eye view of several stretches of Big Creek by joining in the naturalist-led “Four Bridges Hike” on Thursday, June 6 at 4:00. The bridges and boardwalks at Crossroads are high above the creek, giving visitors stunning views of the wetlands, floodplains and riparian forests. Certainly, participants will see flowers and possibly get glimpses of mammals, birds, and maybe even a few amphibians.  (Footwear that can get wet is advised.)  The program is free and open to the public and will start at the Collins Learning Center.

Then, on June 7 starting a bedtime-appropriate 5:30 pm, we will present  “First Friday at Crossroads” family-friendly outdoor concert featuring Randy Peterson.

The concert will be held in the Outdoor Amphitheater, a short 5 to 10-minute walk from the parking lot on our Meadow Trail.   The amphitheater has bench seating but folks are more than welcome to bring  camp chairs or blankets.

According to his bio, “Randy Peterson’s high energy concerts have been enjoyed by children and families at countless schools, libraries, festivals and concert stages for years.  His shows are a fast-moving mix of music, humor and storytelling that are geared for kids, but which all ages enjoy.”

Following the concert, Crossroads will be hosting a small campfire at the Council Ring so people can socialize, tell stories, and make s’mores

In the case of rain or high winds, the concert will move into the Collins Learning Center, but the campfire will be cancelled.

The Door Peninsula Astronomical Society will offer two programs this week. The monthly Viewing Night will begin at 7:00 pm on Saturday, June 8, with planetarium shows and Astronomy Campus tours. If it is clear and when it is dark enough to see stars, night sky viewing will follow.

On Tuesday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m., the astronomy society holds its monthly meeting at the Stonecipher Astronomy Center. DPAS member Alec Bath will present Apollo—1960s Engineering challenges of landing on the Moon. This program is free and open to the public.

Crossroads at Big Creek Learning Center and Nature Preserve is at 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. It is a 501(c)3 organization committed to offering education, conducting research and land restoration, and providing outdoor experiences to inspire environmental stewardship in learners of all ages and backgrounds. We welcome your support. 

Thursday, June 6

4:00 pm Four Bridges Hike

Families are invited to join the naturalist-led nature program and get a bird' s-eye view of several stretches of Big Creek. The bridges and boardwalks at Crossroads are high above the creek, giving visitors stunning views of the wetlands, floodplains, and riparian forests. (Footwear that can get wet is advised.)  The program is free and open to the public and will start at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Friday,  June 7

5:30 pm  “First Friday at Crossroads” Concert- featuring Randy Peterson.

Family Musician Randy Peterson’s show will be a fast-moving mix of music, humor, and storytelling that are geared for kids, but which all ages enjoy. The concert will be held in the Outdoor Amphitheater, a short 5 to 10-minute walk from the parking lot on our Meadow Trail.   The amphitheater has bench seating, but folks are more than welcome to bring camp chairs or blankets. In case of rain or high winds, the program, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Collins Learning Center.

Following the presentation, Crossroads will host a small campfire at our council ring where people can socialize, tell stories, and make s’mores.

Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Saturday, June 8

7:00 pm DPAS Viewing Night

Starting at 7:00, planetarium shows are offered every half hour because seating is limited. Those waiting can tour the astronomy campus and observatory. At dark, around 9:00, DPAS members offer outdoor viewing and open the dome on the Leif Everson Observatory. It is free and open to the public. 2200 Utah Street, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, June 11

7:00 Meeting of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society

Visitors are welcome at the monthly meeting of DPAS. This month, DPAS member Alec Bath will present a program on Apollo - 1960's Engineering challenges of landing on the Moon.

How do you navigate 240,000 miles, land two astronauts on the Moon, and safely return with less computing power than a pocket calculator?  How does a gyroscope work?  What is a gimbal lock?  What is a correlation algorithm?  What modern-day technologies were borne out of the Apollo Space program?  Come and find answers to all of these questions and more. Weather permitting, night sky viewing will follow this program, which is free and open to the public.  2200 Utah Sturgeon Bay.

One of the newest events at the Kewaunee County Fair is prepared for a second year under the Andy Barta Legacy Show Pavilion. The Fairytales Animal Show made its debut last year with two participants with special needs taking part. The participants were paired with mentors who helped them lead their animals onto the shavings under the pavilion in front of bleachers full of people cheering them on. Show organizer Morgan Servaes says sheep will be added to the show this year and hopes even more people can participate.

Interested participants must complete a registration form and be in at least third grade. A meet-and-greet event will occur at Wilson’s Wish in Luxemburg on June 20th, three weeks before the Fairytales Animal Show takes place during the Kewaunee County Fair on July 13th. Servaes says they are also looking for additional mentors to help out.

More details from a Thursday night fire were released by the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department on Saturday, though no cause has been determined yet. Fire Departments from Denmark, Luxemburg, and Carlton responded to the fire just before 11 p.m. When they arrived, the pole building where the fire occurred was fully engulfed. The body of 57 year old Dale E. Blazei of Denmark was discovered during those efforts. Blazei used the building as his residence. No further details were released and the fire remains under investigation. 

If you want something to do this weekend, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has some ideas for you, and they will even cover the tab. June 1st and 2nd marks the DNR’s Free Fun Weekend, which allows people to visit Wisconsin’s 50 state parks, 15 state forests, and 44 state trails without an admission sticker. In addition, you will not be required to have a fishing license or trout/salmon stamps, though all the usual regulations still apply. Friends groups for Door County’s state parks have been hard at work for the last several weeks preparing the parks for a busy season of visitors. Earlier in May, Friends of Rock Island State Park President Tina Jacoby and Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park President John Swanson detailed some projects their groups have been busy with and would love to show them to you.

Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park President John Swanson

Friends of Rock Island State Park President Tina Jacoby

In 2023, an estimated 20,296,960 visitors checked out Wisconsin’s state parks and trails, an increase of over 320,000 over 2022 and over a million less than in 2021, when residents and guests were coming out of the pandemic.