If you have not done so yet absentee, your chance to make your voice heard in two state races and for several municipal seats will arrive on Tuesday. Polling sites across the state will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday for Election Day. Statewide, voters will weigh in on a referendum enshrining Wisconsin’s voter identification law into the constitution while choosing a new state Supreme Court Judge (Susan Crawford or Brad Schimel) and state Superintendent (Jill Underly or Brittany Kinser).

Closer to home, there are several contested races in Door and Kewaunee counties.

In Kewaunee County, most municipal government races are uncontested except for a few. In the Town of Pierce, Lee Miskovich, Kurt Burmeister, and Mitchell Stauber are vying for two spots on the town board. In the Town of Red River, Trina Kerscher is up against Sarah Marie Monfils for Town Clerk. No one is running for president in the Village of Casco, but Daniel Andres, Dennis Cravillion, and Dan Laak are competing for two spots as trustees. The City of Algoma will have one contested race out of its four aldermanic districts as Dawn Kidd and Jake Maring go head to head. The City of Kewaunee will have two registered write-ins for voters with Edward House (District 2) and Roger Zimmerman (District 3). Zimmerman will go against Joe Mills in the District 3 race. Kewaunee School District residents will have an additional measure on their ballot for a $24.5 million capital referendum to see portions of the building renovated to address space needs, among other improvements.

Door County has more competition, with several contested races throughout the peninsula. In Sister Bay, Patrice Champeau, Brigid White, and write-in candidates Steven Bacsi, Terry Kelly, Chad Kodanko, and Eric Smith are going against each other for three seats on the Village Board. In Brussels, Galen DeJardin and Austin Vandertie are vying for the Town Supervisor 2 seat in one of the few races that required a primary. In Forestville, David Samuels, Randy Schmidt, and Loren Uecker are looking to fill two open seats on the town board. Gordon Berggren and Peter Sownie hope to replace outgoing chairperson Hans Lux on Washington Island. At the same time, Martin W. Andersen, Margaret Foss, and Loren Roznai set their sights on two supervisor seats on the Washington Island Board. Village of Ephraim voters will see three candidates running for two seats on its board: Marcia Ellis, Carly Mulliken, and Richard Hoyerman. Angela Lensch, while Scott Rasmussen and Michael Johnson are looking to fill a pair of spots on the Village of Egg Harbor Board. David Ward and Andrea Frank are battling for the mayoral seat in Sturgeon Bay, although Ward will be the only one on the ballot. District 5 is the only contested seat on the ballot for the Sturgeon Bay Common Council, with Heather Weasler challenging Gary Nault. 

According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, more than 500,000 voters have already cast their ballots. That is an increase of 54 percent from the last time a seat on the Wisconsin State Supreme Court was on the ballot in 2023. If you are voting on Tuesday, make sure you have the proper photo identification and other supporting documents if you have to register.

UPDATE (6 A.M.): Wisconsin Public Service has wrapped up work in Door County, but they are still working on restoring power to over 30,000 customers in northern Wisconsin. Work resumes on Washington Island. 

As a result, Washington Island School District will be closed for a second straight day.

ORIGINAL STORY

With another weather system expected to drop more snow, freezing rain, and sleet on the area on Tuesday, crews and residents are working hard to ensure they recover from the weekend’s storms. As of 10 a.m. on Monday, more than 54,700 Wisconsin Public Service customers across the state were still without power after storms coated the area with up to a half-inch of ice in addition to rain and snow. Door County still had about 1,300 WPS customers without power, an improvement of nearly 1,000 from Sunday night. While downed trees and power lines caused some outages, there were at least two reports of blown transformers. Overall, there were over 20 reports for down trees and a dozen wire-down reports from Friday night to Monday morning. On Sunday alone, there were more than eight fire calls to local departments, many of which were related to downed power lines. The Washington Island Electric Cooperative has been addressing power outages nearly around the clock since Friday night. The power outages forced the town to open its community center as a warming shelter through Tuesday morning and Washington Island School to cancel classes on Monday. Door County Emergency Management Director Jeb Saelens expects it to be a potentially multi-day event, but adds that the community is strong.

Things were better in Sturgeon Bay, where there were a few outages due to the ice storm over the weekend. Four of SBU’s linemen were sent to assist Gresham Utilities at the request of Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin (MEUW for short) Mutual Aid Assistance Program early Monday morning. Electric Utility Manager Jason Bieri states that MEUW membership allows access to over 300 municipal electric linemen in Wisconsin during large-scale outage events. SBU’s crew of eight linemen are regularly sent to assist other member communities of MEUW when storms hit.

The National Weather Service is already warning the region that another weather system is expected to hit the area Tuesday evening and last into Wednesday morning. The area could see up to four inches of snow and a tenth inch of ice as a result.

Note: This is an update to our original story from Sunday morning.

Door County traded its ice storm warning for a winter storm warning until 4 a.m. Monday, but the impact of the weekend's weather will last well past that.

According to Wisconsin Public Service, more than 2200 customers are without power as of 7:30 p.m., with the bulk of those outages located north of Egg Harbor. The Door County Scanner 2.0 Facebook page posted several reports of downed trees and power lines due to the storm and one report of a blown transformer. The Washington Island Electric Cooperative has been fighting outages due to the ice storm for over 24 hours. As a result, the Washington Island Community Center is being used as a warming shelter for residents unable to heat their homes. Just after 5 p.m. on Sunday, Washington Island School District announced they are canceling classes on Monday to maximize the safety of its students, teachers, and families.

"There are already wires down, others are at risk of coming down, and some roads are impassable. We are erring on the side of safety," the district's announcement stated. We will provide additional updates as they become available.

You can have a deeper understanding of bridge tenders' important role in the Sturgeon Bay community when the final presentation of the Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker series concludes on Thursday.  “A Bridge Eye View:  Stories from 40 Years of Tending Sturgeon Bay’s Bridges” will have Rose Pipkorn and Sonja Polster share their experiences at the Door County Maritime Museum.  Pipkorn served as a part-time, relief, and full-time Bridge Tender for over 25 years, while Sonja’s husband Bill, who passed in 2022, tended the Michigan Street and Bay View bridges from the late 1960s to early 2000s. 

The Door County Medical Center Maritime Speaker Series finale for the 2024-25 season will take place on the second floor in the Door County Maritime Museum’s large conference room and begin at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 3.  The presentation is free to attend or can be viewed online via Zoom by registering here.  

(photos submitted)

Running your Sunday errands became easier said than done after an ice storm hit Door County. Several counties in northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan including Door County were included in an ice storm warning that began early Sunday morning. According to the National Weather Service, snow and sleet accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations between one-tenth and one-half of an inch are expected as a part of the ice storm warning, which is expected to last until 7 p.m. on Sunday.  The storm could also cause significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs, causing widespread and long-lasting power outages. As of 11:20 a.m., more than 51,000 Wisconsin Public Service customers, including 1,514 in Door County, were without power.  The ice accumulating on the road could make travel difficult to nearly impossible in some areas.

Spring migration is underway at Crossroads, and we are excited to share this seasonal marvel with the community. Migrating birds are beginning—albeit slowly—to filter into the preserve, and fish have already returned to Big Creek. But spring migration isn’t just about birds and fish!

Frogs migrate. So do bats, butterflies, dragonflies, and even soil organisms. Despite their differences, they all travel for the same essential reason: to reach an optimal breeding area. Some species migrate across continents, while others move mere inches to find the right conditions for reproduction.

For example, pike and suckers are now swimming upstream in search of warm water and food-rich environments where their offspring can hatch and thrive. 

Birds, on the other hand, may nest here or continue farther north. Their journeys—often long and risky—are worthwhile because spring and summer provide longer daylight hours to find food. During this time, birds require enormous nourishment as they establish territories, build nests, lay eggs, and feed their young.

Many migrating birds travel to northern regions where the days are even longer, predators are fewer, and insect populations surge, providing an abundant food supply.

Most people know that monarch butterflies migrate, but did you know that several species of dragonflies do as well?  More valuable to the environment than monarchs, dragonflies play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance.

And any day now—if it hasn’t happened already—frogs will begin their annual migration from forested areas to their breeding habitats. Wood frogs, recognizable by their duck-like quacks, are the first to emerge, heading to ponds and wetlands as soon as the snow melts. A few weeks later, we’ll hear the high-pitched calls of spring peepers. By May, additional frog and toad species will join in, creating a vibrant symphony of spring.

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Migration will be the focus of this month's Current Ecological Events Club at 1:30 on Monday, April 8. Before the discussion, a packet of articles will be available at the entrance desk of the Collins Learning Center. Anyone is welcome to pick up a packet, whether or not they plan to attend the discussion. Reading the materials is encouraged but not required to participate.

Celebrating the awakening of spring should be a tradition for every family. To help our community take part in the season’s wonders, we will be sharing updates on the sucker run, frog choruses, and the arrival of spring wildflowers on  the Crossroads at Big Creek Facebook page and website

Wednesday, April 2

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center,  Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay

3:00 Junior Nature Club.

Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series connecting pre-school children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world. The Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement, and nature curiosity in children and their parents or guardians. No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Saturday, April 5

9:00 AM – Habitat Healers: Floral Index & Ida Site Prep
Help restore the land! Volunteers of all ages are invited to participate in our ecological restoration efforts. This session will include a pre-burn biotic index survey, where participants will help identify or learn how to identify local plant species. Visit the Crossroads at Big Creek website for more details and to register.

2:00 PM – Saturday Science: Bird Behavior Bingo
In this fun outdoor activity, participants will go birding—not to identify species but to observe their behaviors! This program is designed for elementary students but welcomes learners of all ages. In case of inclement weather, the activity will be held indoors. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, 

Monday, April 8

1:30 PM – Current Ecological Events Club
Love reading? Join our ecological article club! Each month, we’ll dive into current ecological topics for lively discussions, new friendships, and a deeper understanding of the natural world. April’s theme:  Migration. Discussion materials are available at the Collins Learning Center entrance, but drop-ins are always welcome! Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads. 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Wednesday, April 9

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center,  Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay

Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration is not required. Open to the public and free thanks to our donors.

3:00 Junior Nature Club.

Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series connecting preschool children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world. The Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement, and nature curiosity in children and their parents or guardians. No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

With an estimated one in five people being diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, a twenty-minute medical screening could save your life. The Kewaunee County Public Health Department is sponsoring a free skin cancer screening next month. Every day, nearly 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer. Kewaunee County Public Health Director Cindy Kinnard says skin cancer is the most common form and can be detected with a simple test. She notes that skin cancer screening exams are the best way to catch melanoma and other skin cancers early. 

The Free Skin Cancer Screening will be held on Saturday, April 5. Held from 8:30 a.m. until noon at Prevea Health Center in Luxemburg, the screening is open to all ages and will provide information on the danger signs of skin cancer and how to protect your skin. You can register in advance by calling the Kewaunee County Public Health Department at 920-388-7160.

You can see the best in art created by Door County high school students starting next weekend.  The Miller Art Museum in downtown Sturgeon Bay is celebrating 51 years of honoring Door Peninsula student artists with the 51st Annual Salon of Door County High School Art.  The exhibit will open this Saturday, April 5, with a celebratory reception planned to honor young artists on Monday, April 7, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. The event is open to the public with the award ceremony scheduled at 7:30 p.m. Executive Director Elizabeth Meissner-Gigstead says the Salon of Door County High School Art is the museum's longest-running exhibit and will feature 114 young artist students from all the Door County schools.  She notes that the highly anticipated exhibit carries on Gerhard Miller’s legacy of providing students the opportunity to showcase their talents.

The 51st Annual Salon of Door County High School Art will be on display through May 17.  This year’s show will feature 122 artworks from students attending Gibraltar, Sevastopol, Southern Door, Sturgeon Bay, and Washington Island High Schools. The names of the participating young artists are listed below.

 Washington Island High School: Kinsey DeJardin, Fisher Grandy, Corbin Kellerman, Madelyn Kellerman, Cydney Kickbush, Jaxin Lindgren, Jocelyn Mann, Teagan McGrane, Emily Nickchen, and Thomas Pratt

 Southern Door: Angie Kraemer, Charlotte Bloniarz, Layna Bosman, Claire Cmeyla, Marshall Cornette, Samuel Gebhardt, Jacobe Jonni, Addison Kluge, Anna Massart, Emma Moyer, Marisa Pitzen, Miya Sanchez-Gutierrez, Audrie Schley, Marissa Shefchik, Daylia Sund, Ana Torres Muniz, and Anna Wills

Sturgeon Bay High School: Tiviana Andropolis, Jordis Brilla, Ryan Felhofer, Kaylus Ferrer, Sid Forest, Axel Howard, Heather Hubbard, Izzy Jimenez-Seyfer, Regan Kasten, Eli Klug, Hayden Luders, Malaya Martinez, Jaden McAfee, Garet Meleen, Spencer Miller, Evan Newman, Rowan Ploor, Claire Quaderer, Raven Rathmann, Malia Rothrock, Noelia Sanchez-Rodriguez, Anika Steinbach, and Mack Teska

Sevastopol High School: Rayna Apsey, Kasey Bittorf, Hailey Bosman, Lily Daoust, Lucas Delsart, Paige Eicher, Caitlyn Fellner, Victoria Fiscus, Elizabeth Flok, Landon Frank, Carson Gaida, Anna Gallardo-Ibarra, Zackary Genske, Paulie Gnabasik, Amolia Jefferson, Darrel Lautenbach, Cora Maccoux, Rachel Rock, Gianna Roman, Nathan Sansom, Lilly Sawyer, Kylie Sikorsky, Liliahna Snyder, Pitipavit Tancharoen, Aaron Thomas, Isabella Wadkins, and Ruth Wilke

Gibraltar High School: Noah Adler, Elizabeth Batista, Sonya Benzow, Lauren Bertges, Dasia Daubner, Isla Fagundes, Ombeline Finck, Megan Gallant, Emilie Glocke, Aaron Greene, Angeni Herula, Lauren Lautenbach, Alice Nelson, Lily Nostvick, Finn Salm, Jacquy Sandoval, Berkely Schwab, McCartney Schwab, Rose Stackhouse, and Molly Virlee.

photo of artwork "Owl Acrylic" submitted:  Audrie Schley 10th grade from Southern Door

A large group of area volunteer musicians are helping students strengthen their school music programs through local scholarships. The Peninsula Symphonic Band and Swingin’ Door Big Band announced this week the opening of their Summer Band Camp Scholarship program for 2025.

Director Jason Palmer says the organization will offer ten scholarships of up to $250 each to middle school and high school wind band and jazz band students. He says the scholarship program has grown over the past five years and has been funded mainly through the proceeds collected by the Swingin’ Door Big Band performances, which were launched in 2019. 

Students interested in completing the application for the Summer Band Camp Scholarship will write a 250-word essay on what they hope to learn at the camp and submit a recommendation from their school’s music director.  The applications are due April 18th, with the scholarships being awarded by May 1.   About 80 members strong, the Peninsula Symphonic Band and Swingin’ Door Big Band will make their first performance of the year at the Memorial Day Observance at the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department station on Monday, May 26.   

It is with great joy mixed with sadness that we at the Door County Daily News see the final chapter of what has been nothing short of an amazing career has reached its finale. Paul Schmitt, who was with 96.7 WBDK and the Door County Daily News for over 30 years and witnessed the growth and changes of this industry, has written his last story.

From covering breaking news, government meetings, and high school sports, Schmitt has been a staple in the Door and Kewaunee communities. What most will remember about him is his kind and gentle nature, his willingness to help, and his genuine caring for his coworkers, clients, friends, and family. I know that I can speak for everyone with NEW Radio and the Door County Daily News when I wish Paul joy and happiness with Patti in retirement.

I know deep down that we will see, or rather hear, him again because broadcasting is in his veins, but until that time, enjoy sleeping in, coffee by the lake, and spending time with the family. 

Congratulations Paul! 

The next time you check your phone for text messages, beware of scammers who are impersonating the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). The Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is warning consumers of reported phishing attempts in which scammers pretend to be from WisDOT and ask them to click on a fraudulent link or reveal personal information.

Some text messages commonly warn of a “final reminder” of an “outstanding toll” with official-looking content that is not really from WisDOT.  Members of the NEW Radio staff have received similar texts.

The WisDOT advises you to be wary of suspicious emails or messages, like ones referring to tolls in Wisconsin, which do not exist.  You should not respond or engage with a caller or click links from unsolicited texts that demand money and request your personal information. 

If you are a victim of a scam, you should consider filing a police report with a local law enforcement agency and report internet-based crimes at www.ic3.gov

(scam photo courtesy of WisDOT)

You can learn more about how Southern Door School District is viewing its financial landscape for the future at a community roundtable discussion being held next month. Entitled “Investing in Education – The District’s Financial Outlook,” the event looks to be transparent about the future funding challenges and strategic budgeting they are facing. Part of that future includes federal funding that has been threatened to be cut differently. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, federal funding makes up between two percent (Washington Island) and 11 percent (Algoma) of the total budget for area school districts, covering costs associated with school lunch programs, special education services, and staffing. For Southern Door School District, federal funding makes up about seven percent ($861,351) of its total funding. Southern Door School District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Krutzik says that as the district plans for the future, they must engage the community in discussions about the financial health of their schools and ensure that students continue to receive a high-quality education at financially responsible levels. Residents are encouraged to participate in the community discussion on April 29th from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. inside the Eagle Gym. You can see the federal funding snapshot of all of the school districts in Door and Kewaunee counties by clicking the links below.

Algoma

Kewaunee

Luxemburg-Casco

Gibraltar

Sevastopol

Southern Door

Sturgeon Bay

Washington Island

You can help Sturgeon Bay School District families have full bellies during the school day with a friendly donation. According to the Education Data Initiative, the national public school meal debt is $176 million, with nearly 69 percent of schools carrying at least some of that total. Since schools cannot pay off meal debts using federal child nutrition funds, they either write it off as a loss or rely on state, local, or charitable sources to offset the total.

For Sturgeon Bay School District Food Service Director Jennifer Spude, it has become part of the job. She says many families they serve make good enough money during the summer that they do not qualify for free or reduced lunch during the school year. School lunch costs are usually the last to get paid off when bills pile up. That has added up to thousands of dollars in unpaid school lunch debt for Sturgeon Bay School District. While it can be easy to say no, Spude says she owes it to the kids to ensure they are fed with high-quality food. 

Spude says she started the Angel Fund in recent years to provide matching funds to help struggling families pay off their debt. She adds that churches and other benefactors have stepped forward in recent weeks to see how they can help. Governor Tony Evers proposed free school breakfast and lunch for all Wisconsin students as part of his 2025-2027 budget, but Republicans have been lukewarm to the idea.

Whether you are inside at one of their exhibits or outside on Sturgeon Bay’s working waterfront, the Door County Maritime Museum will have a front-row seat to nautical history in 2025. The Winter Fleet is set to depart in the coming days after receiving important work from Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding before heading back to the grind of the shipping season. That will open space for the SS Badger at the end of the month and the USS Cobia in mid-September to come in for some much-needed care. In between those visits, Door County Maritime Museum and Destination Sturgeon Bay announced earlier this month the return of the tall ships to the city, the first time they have been back since before the pandemic. Add in the Patriot Racing team docking at the museum all summer long in addition to its Classic and Wooden Boat Festival in August, Deputy Director Sam Perlman says maritime history will indeed sail through Sturgeon Bay this year.

In addition to what is happening outside its doors, Perlman says crews are working hard to complete work on new exhibits inside its Sturgeon Bay museum, including one examining the city’s relationship with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Photo credit Door County Maritime Museum

A popular thick chicken-based soup recipe originating in Belgium will be featured in a competition at the NFL Draft festivities in Green Bay next month, and the Belgian Heritage Center of Namur will represent Door County.  Downtown Green Bay will host the Booyah Battle, and the Belgian Heritage Center will vie for the Best Booyah and the People’s Choice Award.  Belgian Heritage Foundation President Joe Alexander says the organization has had a lot of practice perfecting its signature booyah over the years by featuring it at several events during the season.  He says Brian Delwiche and Jerry Reince will be the chefs representing the Belgian Heritage Center at the competition.

The Booyah Battle takes place on Friday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at 100 Washington Street in Green Bay.  You can attend the event and vote for the People’s Choice award by purchasing tickets for $3 for a six-ounce sample of booyah.  The Belgian Heritage Center was one of a dozen Booyah competitors chosen for the first-ever Booyah Battle.  

If you plan on voting before election day, you are running out of time. Early voting throughout the state officially ends March 30th, though most municipalities in Door and Kewaunee counties will wrap up by Friday at the close of business. Thanks in part to high-profile cases for the Wisconsin Supreme Court and State Superintendent, the Associated Press reports that nearly 48 percent more early ballots have been cast compared to the same point two years ago when Supreme Court candidates Daniel Kelly and eventual winner Janet Protasiewicz were on the ballot. Algoma City Clerk Erin Mueller and Sister Bay Village Clerk Heidi Teich can attest to that fact as they have seen well over 100 early votes cast since March 18th. Even though it can mean more work for her in the end, Mueller is happy that more and more people are taking advantage of early voting.

Municipalities such as Sister Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and Kewaunee could have races decided by write-in ballots. Teich says there are things you can do to help poll workers tabulate those write-in votes more efficiently.

Election Day is April 1st, and the polls open across the state from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sevastopol School District was placed into a secure hold situation last Friday afternoon due to a disturbance on its property.

According to the Door County Sheriff’s Department dispatch report, deputies responded to Sevastopol School District before 2:30 p.m. last Friday (3/21) to what is listed there as a juvenile problem. According to Sevastopol Superintendent Randi Ryskoski, a student made a verbal threat to the school, which was followed up by the district’s administration and local law enforcement. She added that the secure hold protocol at Sevastopol is usually used during clean-ups, individual locker searches, medical transportation of an injured student, or “any situation where privacy of dealing with the matter is of the utmost importance.” The district emailed parents about the secure hold before 4 p.m. on Friday. Ryskoski said the district is “working in accordance with district policies and law enforcement regarding the student in question.” While student privacy laws prevent her from sharing additional details, she added that parents and community members should know they are taking appropriate action.

While many people in Door and Kewaunee counties may know them more for their events like this Saturday’s Roar Off the Shore Brewfest at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds, you can see the impact of the Kewaunee Lions Club and the Dyckesville Lions Club year-round. The two clubs help support national and international causes as well as local ones. In Kewaunee, the Lions Club awards four $1,500 scholarships annually to deserving high school seniors. The Dyckesville Lions Club recently funded the construction of pickleball courts in the community. Kewaunee Lions Club Member John Mastalir says Saturday’s event is not just a celebration of beer, wine, and food but all of the great work the community helps them accomplish.  

If you can’t make this Saturday’s Roar off the Shore Brewfest, you can still support the two clubs' efforts in the community. The Kewaunee Lions Club meets on the third Monday of every month at The Wildflower Supper Club in Kewaunee at 6:30 p.m., while the Dyckesville Lions Club meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at the Red River Town Hall at 7 p.m.

Career day came to the technical education department at Luxemburg-Casco High School on Wednesday as several trade unions showcased their craft to students.

Representatives from Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 3, 9 & 11, Carpenters Local 1146, Engineers Local 139, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 158, Plumbers & Steamfitters UA Local 400, and International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation 18 set up shop throughout several areas at the high school to show how they could find a high-paying career right in their backyard. Students were divided into groups and rotated through stations where they received hands-on experience. Luxemburg-Casco Technical Education Will Simonar says it is all part of the district’s goal to help students find a potential career path before graduation.

Among the presenters was Matt Jacobs, a Luxemburg-Casco Class of 1998 graduate who now serves as a business representative for Carpenters Local 1146. He is encouraged by Luxemburg-Casco’s commitment to showcasing the trades.

Students Ashley Fameree and Brayden Denis say the Career Trades Day showcased careers they never would have thought about asking about in the past.

Luxemburg-Casco has one of the highest participation rates in the state regarding youth apprenticeships, with more than 100 seniors currently employed in the region as a part of the program. The event comes as Forbes magazine reported in 2024 that nearly 91 percent of skilled tradespeople surveyed were “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their careers, up from 83 percent in 2021.

The construction work on State Highway 57, which was targeted to begin next week by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, will be delayed until April 7th.  The DOT announced Wednesday that the resurfacing project for State Highway 57, stretching 1.5 miles from Summit Road to County Q, will start a week later than scheduled due to the forecasted adverse weather conditions.  The resurfacing-level project includes sections of curbs and gutters, upgrading curb ramps to ADA standards, and replacing four culverts. It is a 55-day working day contract with crews pausing in July and August due to peak summer traffic.  The project’s conclusion will be extended to mid-to-late October, but the pause will be made with the community’s interest and workers’ safety in mind.

You will be able to experience new and significant improvements at the John Miles Park in Sturgeon Bay this season.  The park hosts the annual Door County Fair and is in the process of installing a new band shelter.  Door County Parks Manager Tim Kazmierczak says a great lineup of events is planned this year, with the new 40 by 60-foot pavilion being completed in the next few weeks.  Kazmierczak notes that Door County Parks & Facilities Director Wayne Spritka was able to procure funds from the Am Vets Post 51, the Railbrook Foundation, and other donors to see the project through to fruition.

 Last year, the Door County Parks installed a new ADA-accessible, intergenerational, impact-resistant flooring playground for about $250,000.  Youth soccer leagues and tournaments will utilize the park this summer and fall, and over 500 kids will participate.  Other planned events at the park include the annual Century Ride in September and the Scenic Shore 150 this fall, which raised $2 million for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society last year.  John Miles Park will host the stock car races at the Hill Raceway again this year, with ten scheduled events through the end of August. 

You can listen to Kazmierczak's full interview on the News Podcast Page here.

Those sandhill cranes you see in rural fields in Door and Kewaunee counties may be fair game for hunters in the future.  The Wisconsin legislature proposed two new bills to make sandhill crane hunting open in the state.  The bills, called Senate Bill 112 and Assembly Bill 117, were introduced by the Joint Legislative Council and relate to hunting sandhill cranes, which are known to cause crop damage, including corn.  

Sandhill cranes are protected by federal law, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service can initiate a hunting season for the migratory bird. The bill would require the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to conduct a free sandhill crane hunter education program.

The bills also include a reimbursement program through the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to compensate farmers whose crops are damaged by wildlife.

You can read the complete legislative bill here.

(photo credit Wisconsin PBS)

A popular Door County race that continues to blossom year after year is scheduled for Mother’s Day weekend. The Door County YMCA Blossom Run will again be held in Egg Harbor on Saturday, May 10, for the two-mile run/walk or five-mile run.  The event has drawn up to 300 participants in the past, and YMCA Senior Living Healthy Director Mary Claire McHugh says it is perfect for the whole family to get involved in.  She notes that the race route has a small-town feel, with a beautiful backdrop of the marina and the blooming of daffodil, cherry, and apple blossoms. 

The 2025 Blossom Run also offers a one-mile youth non-competitive run for kids 12 or younger at 9:30 a.m.  The event starts with registration from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m., followed by the initial run/walk and race beginning at 8:30 a.m. at the boat launch at the Dock View Park in Egg Harbor, with an award ceremony immediately after the run at about 10:15 a.m. You can register online on race day or in advance with an “early bird” entry fee offered until April 13.  More information on the 2025 Blossom Run, sponsored by Door County Medical Center and Ross & Liebmann Group, is available here.

You can test your trivia knowledge on various topics while supporting a good cause, as one of the oldest trivia contests in Door County will return this spring.  The Sturgeon Bay Breakfast Rotary Club is hosting the 18th annual Trivia Night next Saturday at the Masonic Lodge in Sturgeon Bay.  Bob Ryan, Rotarian and event organizer, shares how the evening plays out and how the funds raised will support a local youth program. 
 

The Sturgeon Bay Breakfast Rotary Club Trivia Night starts at 7 pm on Saturday, April 5, with registration at 6:30 pm.  The winning team receives framed certificates, and the $25 entry includes appetizers, refreshments, and door prizes.  The event has netted over $20,000 over the last 20 years for local Rotary projects in Door County, including high school scholarships through the Fine Arts Awards Banquet for local students.  The contest is limited to the first ten teams of eight players or less.  You can register by calling Bob Ryan at (920) 493-4009.

The 50th season of Birch Creek Music Performance Center will be the final one for Executive Director Emeritus Mona Christensen, but there are still several measures left before her decade-long stint reaches its coda. Last December, Birch Creek announced that Jenn Ferdon would be succeeding Christensen as its executive director, with Christensen guiding her through the organization’s golden anniversary. The first sounds of the percussion session are still over two months away, but Christensen says there is plenty of work to do before the first students and faculty members arrive on campus.

Tickets for the 50th season of Birch Creek Music Performance Center are on sale now, with the percussion session beginning on June 19th, the symphony session on July 3rd, and the first of two big band jazz sessions starting on July 16th. You can listen to the full interview with Christensen online with this story. 

Having a dog or cat spend a few days or weeks with you at home does more than give animal shelters a little extra breathing room as they fill up. The Wisconsin Humane Society relies on its network of foster families to take on some of its furry guests as space and time permits. It is especially important for its “benchwarmer” animals that have an extended stay at their facilities. Its upcoming “Benchwarmer Tryouts” program allows homeowners to get a taste of being a foster home for WHS residents or potentially find a permanent fur buddy to welcome to their family. WHS Green Bay and Door County Campus Media Specialist Corey Viars says giving the animals time outside their facilities is good for their health and helps their chances of finding their forever home.

Viars hopes that the benchwarmer tryouts program, coupled with a discounted adoption fee through the end of the month, will help a few of their animals find a family to call their own. He adds that WHS is always looking for foster families to house some of its pets. 

You will not find Door County Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jim Heise wax poetically about his time spent behind a camera in a conference room near the emergency department. It was there that, five years ago, Heise shared the spotlight with then-Door County Public Health Director Sue Powers about the newest information regarding a novel coronavirus that would later become known as COVID-19. The pair, along with others, recorded more than two dozen videos between March 2020 and January 2021, marking the first cases in the region, the stay-at-home order issued by Governor Tony Evers on March 24th, 2020, and then the first positive test in Door County on March 30th, 2020. Thousands would tune into the updates provided by Heise and Powers, providing interactions with community members that could not be found elsewhere in the region. Heise says he is glad they were able to connect with residents about what was going on during the pandemic, especially at a time when things were moving faster than they could keep up.

Looking back, Heise says some aspects of the pandemic, such as shutting down businesses, were probably unnecessary. However, he understands why it had to be done at the moment and remains shocked at how political the pandemic became over time.

Heise says he is happy that COVID-19 is treated like the flu or other respiratory viruses thanks to the combination of people who have been infected by or have been vaccinated against it. You can watch our full interview with Heise below.

The Southern Door School District announced that seniors Ben Grota and Marissa Shefchik have received the honor of valedictorian and salutatorian, respectively, for the 2025 Class of Southern Door High School.

Grota achieved a perfect ACT store and utilized the Early College Credit Program, earning 25 college credits already.  His accomplishments include being chosen for the DAR Good Citizen Award, National Merit Scholarship Finalist, and AP Scholar Award.  He attended Boys Badger State, performed for the WSMA State Honors Band, and serves as a student representative on the School Board.  Participating in football, track, and cross country, Grota earned nine varsity letters and set the school record in the 5K distance.  With plans to major in mathematics with a minor in finance, Grota has not decided on his choice of college yet.

The salutatorian, Shefchik, has been involved in the National Honors Society, Forensics, Math Team, Solo Ensemble, Track, and Cross Country. She plans to attend a four-year university and hopes to travel to different countries, including Japan, Italy, and Norway.

Southern Door High School’s graduation is planned for Sunday, May 25 from 2:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the Southern Door Auditorium. 

You can find your next career or employee at the upcoming Door County Job Fair in Sturgeon Bay. We are Hope in Sturgeon Bay is hosting the event at the Cherry Point Mall to connect businesses with potential workers. We Are Hope Executive Director Kim Carley says the job fair is an excellent way for people to explore employment opportunities in the area at this time of year. She notes that the spring job fair is a perfect setting for employers hiring to fill positions quickly for various openings.

The 2025 Door County Job Fair will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25th, inside the Cherry Point Mall and the We Are Hope offices.

In Kewaunee County, The Career Fair and Hiring Event will be held at Kewaunee High School on Thursday, April 3, from 8 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. 

You can enjoy a little bit of Door and Kewaunee counties as a part of the NFL Draft celebration of Wisconsin’s supper club culture next month. The inaugural Taste of the Draft will occur at Green Bay’s Schreiber Foods headquarters on April 23rd to kick off a nearly weeklong celebration for the NFL Draft. Per Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy’s request, the event will spotlight Wisconsin’s supper clubs, a staple of Wisconsin’s dining experience. Twenty supper clubs, including Sturgeon Bay’s Nightingale Supper Club and Kewaunee’s The Wildflower Supper Club, were selected to place items on the menu. Showcasing their slow-roasted prime rib with horsey sauce, Nightengale owner John Heikkila says it is an opportunity of a lifetime to be included in the event and feature one of its menu’s specialties.

In addition to Nightingale’s prime rib and Wildflower’s tuna steak, other supper club staples such as steaks, pork chops, scotch eggs, liver pate, kraut balls, and relish trays will also be on the menu. The $800-per-ticket event is expected to raise thousands of dollars for GENYOUth to help provide nutritious school meals for Wisconsin students.

After retiring from his job at Paper Converting, craft beer enthusiast and Kewaunee resident, Chris Schroeder wondered what was on tap for him and his future. He landed on expanding on his 25-year passion for home brewing to start Lake Whispers Brewing LLC, which debuted its Feisty Waters Witbier earlier this month. Schroeder got into home brewing after a work trip took him to England, where he discovered beers he loved but could not locate in the United States. While the craft beer scene developed around him, Schroeder continued to brew beer that he would enjoy with friends and family. It was not until his retirement that he decided to branch and bring it to area businesses. With a nod to a yearbook from Kewaunee High School, Schroeder hopes his entry into a craft beer market is a boon for area businesses, especially those in Kewaunee.

While Schroeder is not planning on opening a tap room, he hopes to open a nano brewery in Kewaunee where he can produce smaller, five-barrel batches of beer before contracting them to a larger brewery in Green Bay. While you can find his Feisty Waters Witbier on tap now at select watering holes in Door and Kewaunee counties, Schroeder adds that he is working on an English IPA to be released around Memorial Day.

Eagle Scout and Southern Door sophomore Ethan Moll will be one of seven Scouting America members to address Governor Tony Evers, the Wisconsin Legislature, and other government officials at Tuesday's 2025 Report to the State. 

Moll is representing the Bay-Lakes Council at the event, where he will highlight not just his own personal achievements but the successes of the council’s 6,300 youth and 3,400 volunteers across nearly 350 units in 21 counties. He is the youngest of the seven presenting scouts after earning his Eagle Scout rank in recent months. He is excited to talk about his experience in scouting to state leaders.

Moll and the other scouts will issue their report to the Wisconsin Legislature at 10:30 a.m. and the Governor at 1:30 p.m. After earning his Eagle Scout rank thanks to his work with the Wisconsin Humane Society, Moll is looking forward to adding to his total of 120+ merit badges and participating in more high-adventure opportunities like this summer’s backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

The United Way of Door County announced a new long-term initiative this last week to help you or individuals you know find lasting financial and personal stability.  The “Thriving in Door County” personalized program will extend an opportunity for those classified as the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) population who earn above the poverty level but cannot afford the basic cost of living.  The program’s coordinator for the United Way, Karrie Anthony says the process will be a three-year commitment with a limited number of ALICE households being selected for the pilot program.  She adds that the participants will be able to choose their areas of need of strengthening to meet specific financial goals set by them and their coach during monthly meetings.  

Anthony notes that the “Thriving in Door County” training program will undergo the application process starting this summer and will hopefully be implemented this fall. The United Way of Door County is currently working to find volunteers to serve as coaches and on an oversight committee. You can find out more information on the United Way’s Thriving in Door County training program by clicking here.  

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month, and this spring break season, local mental health experts want parents, caregivers, and those who work with young people to know that self-harm among children typically increases following a return from school breaks and in the final weeks of the school year. According to the Department of Health Services (DHS), adolescent self-harm visits to Wisconsin emergency departments (ED) showed a nearly 10% increase in May 2023 compared to the previous month and a 24% increase in adolescent visits in April 2024 compared to the month prior.

Self-harm refers to intentional actions taken to hurt oneself. It may be done as a coping strategy in response to stress, anxiety, or other emotional and/or mental health concerns. While someone who self-harms may or may not have the intention to die by suicide, self-harm may put a person at greater risk for repeated self-harm, suicide attempt, or death by suicide.  Sturgeon Bay Psychologist Dr. Dennis White says there are signs that someone may give that show they are possibly contemplating suicide.

Dr. White says suicide is preventable, and most suicidal individuals desperately want to live but can’t see alternatives to their problems.  You can reach out to local mental health clinics or call the national suicide helpline at 1-800-273-8255. 

Three years after the Wisconsin Legislature approved calling for a constitutional convention, another Midwestern state has joined the call. Last week, Indiana legislators became the eleventh state to call for a constitutional convention to address term limits. Indiana joined Wisconsin as one of 19 states to pass a Convention of States resolution, though they have not been for the same reasons. For example, Wisconsin’s resolution called for a constitutional convention to address fiscal restraints on the federal government, limiting the federal government’s powers and jurisdiction and imposing term limits. A previous attempt in 2017 only addressed a mandate that the federal government pass a balanced budget. Thirty-four states must call for a federal constitutional convention, which would be the United States’ first since the Founding Fathers drew up the original document in 1787. With a lack of precedent, Common Cause Wisconsin Executive Director Jay Heck fears the direction a constitutional convention could go if it ever does convene again.

It’s predictable. This time of year, all of us—staff, researchers, volunteers, and visitors—turn our attention to fish because, around now, fish instinctively migrate into the tributaries of the Great Lakes. The human migration to Crossroads during this time of year has happened ever since Big Creek was created.

We start our fish tales on Thursday, March 27, at 7:00 PM with a Fish Tales lecture featuring Jeremy Pyatskowit (Director of the Environmental Services Department - Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin). He will present “Fisheries of the Menominee Nation” and discuss fish management, emphasizing sturgeon.

Maintaining a cherished Crossroads tradition, our Saturday Science program for learners of all ages will be a Pike Hike. These large fish swim into the Cove Estuary and follow Big Creek each spring, passing under County Highway TT into the warm (comparatively) shallow waters north of the preserve. There, they spawn, and their fry quickly develops before moving back through the preserve, feeding on sucker eggs, fry, and other small creatures—including their siblings—on their way to the big lake.

We almost always find pike, but it isn’t easy. They are perfectly camouflaged to blend in with the creek bottom.

That’s why our April Fool’s Day after-school program will focus on camouflage—how fish markings "fool the eye." If the weather (and fish) cooperate, this program will be offered outdoors.

And then—The Sucker Run!

Archaeologists and Indigenous historians are convinced that the first people to live—at least seasonally—beside The Cove and Big Creek depended on suckers. European settlers in the mid-1800s certainly did.

In the 1881 publication, A Brief History of Door County, Charles Martin shared a letter from a logger who lived through the financial crash of 1857: 

"I have known the time when we had to make meals on potatoes and salt. We used to spear suckers in the creek in spring, and then we were living high again. I heard a remark that some men could not get their shirts off, and when asked the reason, they said they had eaten suckers so long that the bones stuck through their skin, and their shirts were fast."

We are told that at the turn of the last century, people came to the creek to harvest suckers, which they pickled or pressure-cooked and canned. Locals fondly reminisce about leaving their proms early to spend the rest of the night dipping for suckers and smelt in Big Creek.

Since Crossroads acquired a stretch of the creek, school groups have made annual pilgrimages to witness the sucker run—an event one young lad  deemed “better than fireworks!”

Formal sucker research at Crossroads began in 2011 when Evan Childress, from the University of Wisconsin Center for Limnology, installed automated thermometers and water velocity meters near Hanson Bridge. Each day during the test period, Crossroads staff took depth readings and, following a designated protocol, counted the number of longnose and white suckers passing a specified point, documenting the arrival dates of various species and trying to determine the factors that triggered the run.

Those triggering factors intrigued Dr. Karen Murchie, Director of Freshwater Research at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. Since 2020, under her direction, Crossroads staff and volunteers (along with volunteers at other Door County tributaries) have participated in a multi-state community science effort studying the migratory patterns of suckers in the Great Lakes region.

According to Dr. Murchie:
"Suckers are among the most abundant migratory fishes in the Great Lakes region, serving as a crucial food source for game fish, mammals, and birds. Their spawning activities introduce important nutrients into waterways, supporting the broader aquatic food web. If you love [fish], you can thank a sucker for helping them survive."

Dr. Murchie employs biotelemetry, blood chemistry analyses, and genetic studies to understand sucker behavior. Based on her research, she believes that suckers exhibit strong site fidelity, returning to the same spawning sites annually.

At Crossroads, we aim to foster public appreciation for these undervalued but essential fish. We invite the community to visit during the run—and perhaps chat with Dr. Murchie. Watch the ticker on our website for the latest “sucker run” status.

On April Fool’s Day, Master Gardeners, Wild Ones, and Crossroads will collaborate to host UW-Extension Outreach Specialist Allan Pyle. He will present the lecture “Integrated Pest Management (IPM).” He will explain how to reduce pest damage responsibly in home gardens and natural landscapes.

But what does IPM have to do with fish? Quite a bit. Pesticide runoff can harm fish by disrupting their nervous systems, causing deformities, or reducing oxygen levels in the water. Some pesticides accumulate in the food chain, meaning fish and other aquatic organisms absorb and store toxins over time. This not only harms fish directly but can also impact human health. Surrounded by water, we on the peninsula are responsible for dealing with pests sustainably.

We’ve hooked some fin-tastic programs for this week. Hope to lure you in!

Thursday, March 27

 7:00 PM - Fish Tales: Fisheries of the Menominee Nation
Jeremy Pyatskowit, Director of the Environmental Services Department (Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin), will present a free lecture emphasizing sturgeon. Meet at Collins Learning Center, Crossroads,  2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay, or join via Zoom/Facebook Live: https://doorcountylibrary.org/event

Saturday, March 29                                                                                                                        2:00 PM - Science Saturday: Pike Hike!

This annual Crossroads tradition is open to learners of all ages. We never know exactly when the pike will begin their spawning journey up Big Creek, but it is usually around April Fool’s Day—though this mild year, probably earlier.
Meet at Collins Learning Center Porch, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay

Tuesday, April 1

3:30 PM - Environmental Exploration: Animal Camouflage

6:30 PM - 8:00 PM - DCMGA/Wild Ones Lecture: Integrated Pest Management

WI Extension Outreach Specialist Allen Pyle explains how to reduce pest damage in home gardens and natural landscapes with IPM techniques. Free and open to the public. Meet at Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay

Wednesday, April 2                                                                                                         

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking, about an hour. No registration is required. Free thanks to our donors. Meet at Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

3:00 Junior Nature Club.

Junior Nature Club connects preschool-aged children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world. This week, the topic is "Touching Nature." The class meets rain or shine. Come dressed for outdoor exploration. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

You can expect a return of wintry weather to Door and Kewaunee counties from Sunday afternoon into Monday morning.  The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning that will be in effect from 1 p.m. Sunday until 7:00 a.m. Monday.  The storm will bring an area-wide mix of rain, freezing rain/sleet, and snow. The best chances for accumulating snow will be Sunday evening across northeast Wisconsin, where around three to six inches of snow is expected.  Snowfall amounts then decrease further south, including Kewaunee County, where more rain mixes in. The winds are expected to be up to 35-40 miles per hour, causing dangerous conditions and possible power outages with heavy, wet snow starting late Sunday afternoon.   You can keep up to date with the latest radar and forecast on the Door County Daily News websites here. 

You will want to ensure you have proper documentation if you plan to travel by plane later this spring.  Due to the REAL ID Act beginning this May, your regular Wisconsin driver's license or ID may no longer be accepted as identification for domestic air travel or gaining entry into a federal building or military base. Travelers will be asked to present a REAL ID-compliant driver's license, state ID card, or another acceptable form of identification, such as a passport.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (Wis-DOT) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) are urging everyone age 18 and older to take note of the photo ID they have in their possession now with the enforcement of REAL ID requirements starting May 7. 

The most common document is a driver's license or ID, and it should have the REAL ID star in the upper right corner.

You can still fly with a standard license if you carry your passport or passport card.

Over 63% of Wisconsin's valid driver's licenses or ID cards currently display the REAL ID star, indicating they are federally compliant. In 2005, Congress passed the federal REAL ID Act to standardize state-issued driver licenses and ID cards to enhance security and prevent identity fraud.

In Wisconsin, a REAL ID costs the same as a regular driver's license or ID card, which is $34 for a driver's license or $28 for a photo ID. If you need a duplicate, it costs $14 for a driver's license or $16 for an ID card. 

You can find more information on how to get your REAL ID by clicking the link here.

In keeping our communities safe, the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department relies on a close relationship with many other local, State, and federal agencies. On a daily basis, we interact with and support our local law enforcement agencies within our county through mutual aid requests, sharing of resources, and combined training events. In a time of concern over budget limitations and an ever-increasing demand for the services we provide, there is no room for territorial pride or agency exclusion.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is one of the organizations that we work very closely with and rely upon for the unique skillset and resources they can bring to the table. For the past few years, we have been fortunate to have had Trooper Logan Christel assigned here in Kewaunee County to assist us in our shared goal of keeping our public roadways safe.

We welcome Trooper Christel’s presence in our county and appreciate the focus that he brings to our local traffic enforcement. While the Deputies and Officers of Kewaunee County Law Enforcement do write traffic tickets and repair notices for defective equipment, we also respond to the many calls for service. We are involved in investigative work as a follow-up to those calls, which limits our ability to provide the attention to traffic law that is paramount in maintaining safety on our roadways.

Since we often cannot provide a consistent and sustained focus on traffic law, the continued presence of a resource that can focus their attention on speed, failure to yield the right of way, failure to stop at the stop sign, and many other traffic laws is a welcomed addition to our law enforcement team. In addition to traffic law, Trooper Christel also brings with him a wealth of knowledge on the Motor Vehicle code, which will bring additional attention to issues such as tinted windows, defective exhaust, and the many other vehicle equipment code statutes that we must all abide by.

We are very fortunate and grateful to have Trooper Christel as part of our law enforcement family, and he has our full support in all he does to keep our roads safe. I have had the opportunity to know Logan. I am impressed with his approach to law enforcement and his appreciation for the type of Community Policing that is the foundation of our local law enforcement mission.

For those who are not aware, Logan established a Law Enforcement section of the “Adopt a Highway” program and coordinates getting as many of us as possible to volunteer on Saturday mornings to help keep our community a beautiful place to live.

Keep up the Great Work, Logan!

Some of the first construction cones you will see in Door County will pop up in Baileys Harbor beginning on March 31st. Wisconsin Department of Transportation crews will begin a resurfacing project for State Highway 57, stretching 1.5 miles from Summit Road to County Q. In addition to making the ride a little smooth through town, it will replace some sections of curbs and gutters, upgrade curb ramps to ADA standards, and replace four culverts. It is a 55-day working day contract with crews pausing in July and August due to peak summer traffic. DOT spokesperson Mark Kantola says that the project’s conclusion will be extended to mid-to-late October, but the pause is being made with the community’s interest and its workers’ safety in mind.

The DOT is hosting an informational meeting on March 24th at 1 p.m. at the Baileys Harbor Town office. It is the first of four projects coming to Door County, including reconfiguring three STH 57 intersections that will begin in mid-to-late April. You can read more about all four projects below.

WIS 42 Culvert Replacement

Location: Two culverts under WIS 42 between County X and Center Road in the town of Forestville.

Length: Spot locations at culverts.

Anticipated schedule: Work is anticipated to begin mid/late September or early October and finish in mid-November 2025.

Description of work: Work will include replacing two existing deteriorated concrete box culverts with new 72 x 113-inch concrete horizontal elliptical culvert pipes. One culvert is located 0.55 miles north of the WIS 42/County J intersection, and the other culvert is located 0.78 miles south of that intersection.

Traffic impacts: WIS 42 will be CLOSED AND DETOURED to through traffic at the culvert locations during construction.

Local property and emergency access will be provided at all times.

Detour: A WIS 42 detour will be signed that follows County Line Road, Old Krueger Road, County O, and County H. 

Project website: https://projects.511wi.gov/region/northeast/

WIS 57 Structure Replacement- Multiyear project

Location: WIS 57 from approximately the mid-junction with WIS 42 in the town of Sevastopol to approximately County E in the town of Baileys Harbor.

Length of project work zone: 17.0 miles

Schedule: The construction contract is a carry-over contract that began in September 2024 and is anticipated to be completed in December 2025.  Each structure replacement location will have its own interim anticipated start and completion date:

Lily Bay and Geisel Creek locations (complete) – September 2024 start and December 2024 finish

Logan Creek location - April 2025 start and July 2025 completion

Hibbard Creek location – September 2025 start and November 2025 completion

Description of work: Work will include replacing the existing deteriorated drainage structures at four locations.  The existing box culvert at Lily Bay Creek was replaced with a new concrete box culvert, the existing box culvert at Geisel Creek was replaced with a new box girder bridge, the existing culvert pipes at Logan Creek will be replaced with a new at-grade slab span bridge, and the existing culvert pipes at Hibbard Creek will be replaced with a new at-grade slab span bridge.

Traffic impacts:  WIS 57 will be CLOSED AND DETOURED for the construction of these structures at the location of these structures. 

Detours:

During construction of the Logan Creek structure, the WIS 57 detour will follow County T and County V. 

During the construction of the Hibbard Creek structure, the WIS 57 detour will follow County V, County A, and County E.

Website: https://projects.511wi.gov/wis57sheb/

WIS 57 Intersection Safety Improvements

Location: WIS 57 at the intersection with County H in the town of Brussels and at the intersections of Cloverleaf Road and Stone Road in the town of Nasewaupee.

Length: 0.91 miles

Anticipated schedule: Work is expected to begin in mid/late April 2025 and last approximately four months. The construction contract has an August 29, 2025 completion date.

Description of work: The WIS 57 intersections at County H and Stone Road will be reconstructed into Reduced Conflict U-Turn (RCUT) intersections. This involves constructing slotted right and left turn lanes to each WIS 57 approach to those intersections, removing the right-angle crossing and left turn maneuvers from the existing intersection locations, and adding u-turns in the median to either side of those intersections to allow traffic from the side roads to still access the opposite side of WIS 57 from those side roads. The WIS 57 intersection at Cloverleaf Road will be modified to remove left turns onto and crossing maneuvers of WIS 57 from Cloverleaf Road, which will allow only right and left turns from WIS 57 and right turns from Cloverleaf Road to remain at that intersection.

Traffic impacts: WIS 57 will remain open to a minimum of one travel lane in each direction at all times.

All WIS 57 lanes will remain open during holiday and peak weekend traffic periods. 

The south leg of the Cloverleaf Road intersection will remain open to local traffic at all times. 

County H, Stone Road, and the north leg of Cloverleaf Road will be closed while those intersections are reconstructed. 

Detour:

The detour for the closure of the west leg of County H will follow County C and County DK. 

The detour for the closure of the east leg of County H will follow WIS 42.

The detour for the closure of the north leg of Stone Road/County DK will follow Cloverleaf Road and County DK. 

No detour signing will be provided for the closure of the south leg of Stone Road.

Project website: https://projects.511wi.gov/region/northeast/

WIS 57 Resurfacing – Baileys Harbor

Location: WIS 57 from Summit Road to County Q in the town of Baileys Harbor.

Length: 1.4 miles

Anticipated schedule: This is a 55 working day contract, which equates to approximately four months of work. Work is anticipated to begin in late March or early April 2025. Work will be suspended in July and August for peak summer traffic and restart after Labor Day. The anticipated project complete date is mid/late October 2025.

Description of work: Improvements will include milling the existing asphaltic surface and overlaying with new hot mix asphaltic pavement, replacing four cross drains, upgrading sidewalk curb ramps to meet current standards, upgrading guardrail at Frogtown Road, and placing new pavement markings.

Traffic impacts:  WIS 57 will remain open to traffic throughout construction but may be reduced to a single lane via standard flagging operations.

Park Road will be closed at the WIS 57 intersection while work in that area is completed.  There will be no detour provided.

Local and emergency access will be maintained to properties at all times.

Website: https://projects.511wi.gov/57dcresurface/

While it may not be as obvious as it is in big cities like Chicago and New York City, homelessness continues to rise across the state, including northeastern Wisconsin. According to Wisconsin Watch, the state saw its decade-long downward trend in homelessness reverse in 2021, and its population grew from 4,861 in 2023 to more than 5,000 in 2024. That growth primarily occurred in rural areas, from approximately 2,900 in 2023 to 3,201 in 2004. That number could be even higher even with dedicated volunteers scouring the area and looking for people in the area during point-in-time counts like what occurred in Door, Kewaunee, and Manitowoc counties in January. That has led to rural counties only having 23 percent of the state’s supportive housing units despite having 60 percent of the state’s homeless population. The closest homeless shelters in Door and Kewaunee counties are outside the area in Sheboygan, Manitowoc, and Brown counties. That’s where Ryan Mueller discovered House of Hope in Green Bay, which offers one of the only shelters in the state for homeless youth. Mueller says it hurt to see a big city problem close to home, but it also inspired him to help do something about it.

Mueller’s experience with House of Hope inspired this weekend’s sale at his business, Uncle Tom’s Candy Store in Ellison Bay. Donating the profits from last year’s event helped raise more than $3,000 for House of Hope. The special promotion runs through Saturday.

If you live in Sister Bay, do not expect to receive a check in the mail from the village after its board sent out a letter this week explaining its decision not to issue tax refunds.  The refunds were discussed at previous meetings after residents found a 10.8 percent increase on their property tax bill in December. 

“After careful consideration and review of the impact tax refunds would have on tax levies in future years, as well as the cost involved, we have determined that it is necessary to forgo tax refunds this year,” the letter signed by the Sister Bay Village Board states. “This decision was not made lightly, and we understand that it may be disappointing.”

Instead of the refunds, the village will defer $245,341 in projects planned for this year, using the remainder to replace a village vehicle. The letter also outlines its plans to amend its five-year capital improvement plan to consider the tax levy and incorporate a new budget policy that will incorporate Tax Incremental District (TID) data into its decision-making to ensure the final levy is accounted for in the end. You can read the full letter from the Sister Bay Village Board below. 

Dear Sister Bay Taxpayer,                                                                     March 19, 2025

We hope this letter finds you well. We are writing to inform you of an important update regarding your 2025 property tax and the decision not to issue tax refunds for this year.

After careful consideration and review of the impact tax refunds would have on tax levies in future years, as well as the cost involved, we have determined that it is necessary to forgo tax refunds this year. This decision was not made lightly, and we understand that it may be disappointing.

The difference between no increase in taxes and the 10.8% increase is $330,341. The Village Board plans to defer $245,341 in projects planned for 2025. The remaining balance of $85,000 will be spent in 2025 to replace a Village vehicle to insure the best possible purchase price. In addition, the Finance Committee plans to amend the five-year Capital Improvement Plan to reduce future expenses. This will be an ongoing process, with the goal of pulling back on projects in the capital improvement plan that we would need to levy for.

Finally, the 2026 budget and tax levy will be determined under a new budget policy which will incorporate Tax Incremental District data, ensuring the final levy is fully accounted for.

We are committed to improving communicating and will continue to keep you updated on how these funds are being utilized to benefit the community. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this decision, please do not hesitate to contact the Village Administration office, Nate Bell, Village President, or a Village Trustee.

To stay informed, we encourage all residents to sign up to receive notices for Village meetings and attend those of interest. Sign-up is available by emailing janal.suppanz@sisterbaywi.gov.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work together to build a stronger future for our community.

Sincerely

Nate Bell, President, Village of Sister Bay

Denise Bhirdo, Village Trustee

Patrice Champeau, Village Trustee

Kurt Harff, Village Trustee

Louise Howson, Village Trustee

Lilly Orozco, Village Trustee

Alison Werner, Village Trustee

For 80 residents from Door and Kewaunee counties, they hope you see the fruit of their labor in the coming months and years after they wrapped up Door/Kewaunee Legislative Days on Thursday. By splitting up into teams, the delegation met with about 100 legislators and their staff about the issues impacting Door and Kewaunee counties. During their meetings, delegates focused on supporting affordable housing development, encouraging business investment in childcare, promoting environmental and recreational protection, and strengthening the local healthcare system. Door County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Michelle Lawrie believes the delegates did a great job touching on all of the topics, but showcasing the area’s rural healthcare system was especially important.

Nearly half of the delegation comprised high school students from Gibraltar, Sturgeon Bay, and Southern Door. Lawrie says the students did an amazing job preparing for the experience.

Lawrie reminds residents that Door/Kewaunee Legislative Days occurs every two years, coinciding with the Wisconsin Legislature’s budget session. She invites you to keep track of the most important issues and even sign up to join the delegation in 2027.

You will see a registered National Landmark car ferry docked along the Sturgeon Bay working waterfront soon.  The SS Badger will be placed in dry dock for repairs at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding FBS) next month.  The 410-foot ship is scheduled to leave Ludington, Michigan, on Tuesday, April 29, for a 12-hour journey to Sturgeon Bay.  Undergoing repair of the propeller shaft bearing at the shipyard, the SS Badger is expected to return to Ludington about May 10 and be ready for the sailing season that begins on May 16. 

Sara Spore, general manager of Lake Michigan Carferry, said, “It is the priority of Lake Michigan Carferry and our parent company, Interlake Maritime Services, to keep the Badger in its best working condition. Having these repairs done now will reduce interruptions to our summer sailing season.” 

The Badger was built by Christy Corporation (located at the same facilities now owned by FBS) in 1953.  The ship will take a northern route around the tip of the peninsula and Washington Island into Sturgeon Bay from the west. 

A former governor of Wisconsin shared his story and offered important information to community members on supporting those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease in Door County on Wednesday.  Governor Marty Schreiber spoke at Sunshine Resources in Sturgeon Bay on behalf of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.  He trumpeted a message of hope for caretakers and the importance of changing the course of the devastating disease of Alzheimer’s.  Drawing on personal experience, Schreiber says he has two important messages to share with caregivers who are dealing with loved ones with Alzheimer’s.

The event was sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association and featured copies of Schreiber’s eighth edition of his book “My Two Elaines Learning, Coping, and Surviving as an Alzheimer’s Caregiver”.  Elaine Schreiber passed away in 2022 after a 20-year battle with the disease.  Schreiber also shared the unique challenges faced by husband-caregivers in the Alzheimer’s Disease crisis.  Nearly 40 percent of America’s 15.9 million Alzheimer’s caregivers are men, up from 19 percent 15 years ago.  The video of Schreiber’s presentation is below.

Approving new plans for Kewaunee County Highway Department improvements brought up old wounds from a similar process previously done for the shelved jail project. On Tuesday night, the board approved the resolution 17-1 to award Luxemburg-based Rice Engineering a $179,500 contract to design improvements to the main highway shop near Footbridge and the county’s satellite facilities. At approximately 21,000 square feet, the request for proposals included two additions to existing buildings and two new facilities. Some improvements include a wash bay, a welding shop with an overhead crane, and storage facilities. Supervisor Nick Guilette and Tim Kinnard asked about the cost since there could be some overlap between this proposed project and the county’s jail plans. Kewaunee County Administrator Jeremy Kral said it is certainly something the board should consider.

When asked if the county could afford to do both projects simultaneously, Supervisor Brian Patrycia expressed concern that plans for the Kewaunee County Highway Shop improvements could go the same way as the Kewaunee County Jail project, which has stalled several times in recent years.

The Kewaunee County Board also approved resolutions for additional snowmobile and ATV trail funding, youth justice innovation and crisis intervention program grants, and a single bin recycle system for hot mix.

If you like your wine but are balking at the price of some varieties, luckily, you have some great options in your backyard. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump threatened to place 200 percent tariffs on certain European-made products, including wine and champagne. The upcharge is retaliation for the European Union’s planned 50 percent tariff on American whiskey. President Trump said the move would be great for wine and champagne business in the United States. The ten wineries along the Door County Wine Trail would undoubtedly agree. Of the nearly 50 medal winners from Wisconsin at last month’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, wines made in Door and Kewaunee counties accounted for half of them. Rob Peterson from Door Peninsula Winery says its climate and soils have a lot to do with the flavor profile you often find in wines produced in this region.

Wineries across Door County and around the country could certainly benefit if tariffed wine turns off consumers and pulls them closer to locally produced products. According to CNN, the United States imports roughly $5.4 billion in wine from the EU.

Wednesday’s winter storm proved challenging for emergency responders, with incidents occurring throughout the county, including two fires. The area saw a wide range of precipitation on Wednesday as rain turned into snow during the early afternoon before switching to snow for several hours. According to the National Weather Service, the Sturgeon Bay area received approximately six inches of snow compared to about two inches in Manitowoc and Green Bay.  As a result, Thursday’s dispatch report from the Door County Sheriff’s Department showed that there were nearly 20 reports of cars in ditches between approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday and 4:30 a.m. Thursday. There were also several reports of trees and power wires down and debris on the road. 

Complicating matters were two fire calls that occurred in southern Door County. At about 7:45 p.m., the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department responded to a wire being down and catching a tree on fire near School Lane in the Town of Gardner. About an hour later, the Nasewaupee Fire Department responded to a chimney fire on Guilette Road. 

Even residents who did not require emergency response felt the effect of Wednesday’s storm. Hundreds were without power due to the high winds knocking down trees and power lines. After being at over 400 customers at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Wisconsin Public Service was able to trim that number down to cut that number by more than half by 9 a.m., with most outages occurring north of Baileys Harbor. The Washington Island Electric Cooperative was also busy Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Crews blamed the wind and the heavy snow for weighing down branches and causing problems with its electric lines.

Picture courtesy of Door County Sheriff's Department

You could see a new era of job opportunities coming to the shuttered Kewaunee Power Station in the future. It has been over a decade since Dominion Resources announced it was shutting down and decommissioning the plant. Energy Solutions took over the decommissioning efforts in 2021. During Tuesday’s Kewaunee County Board meeting, Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Ben Nelson told the board that Energy Solutions has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Terrestrial Energy, which is exploring integral molten salt reactors for the site. Terrestrial Energy’s website shows that IMSRs use molten salt fission technology to produce safe, carbon-free, low-cost power. The power generated could be used to power a data center that houses and manages IT infrastructure such as servers, storage, and networking equipment. If that were to happen, moving the spent fuel rods on the site would need to be considered. Nelson says the economic impact would be big for the county.

When asked about the KCEDC’s role in the project, Nelson says it is acting as the boots on the ground, connecting different stakeholders together.

Nelson touched on several other projects the KCEDC is working on, which he says involve nearly $3 billion in capital investment, 2,000 to 3,000 jobs, annual tax revenue of $76 million, and an annual economic impact of more than $100 million if they reach their full potential. You can watch Nelson’s presentation and the rest of the Kewaunee County Board meeting below. 

The dynasty of the Door County YMCA Excel Silver gymnastics team continues in 2025.  The Striver Team earned its first-ever three-peat by winning the YMCA Gymnastics State Title last weekend in West Bend.  Scoring 11.375 points, the Strivers Silver beat out nine other teams in the state competition and had eight individual state titles.  The Excel Gold Team finished third out of 12 teams and returned with four individual state titles.  In all, Excel Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Level 8 squads brought home two team titles, 12 individual state titles, eight silver medals, and nine bronze medals. Coach Nikki Pollman says the entire Strivers Team has shown incredible improvement during the season and is really looking forward to the national competition coming in June.

Gymnasts medaling for Silver were Louisa Grenfell 5th beam, Piper Delarwelle 1st bars, Genevieve Gigstead  2nd floor and bars, 5th all around. Jessa Varney 1st all around and vault, 3rd floor, beam, and bars.  Jackson Varney 1st floor, 3rd bars, 5th all around, 6th vault. Annabel Smullen 1st floor, 2nd all-around, vault and beam. Taiya Couperus 5th on vault. Peyton Watermolen 3rd vault, 4th all around,5th bars, 6th floor, 10th beam.   Maisie Kelnhofer 7th beam and bars, 8th floor, 9th all around. Adela Cordua- Stenzel 7th bars, 8th floor. Milana Reifsnyder  5th floor, 7th all around, 7th vault.   Cosette Orrick 3rd all-around, floor and bars.  Emma Higginbotham 1st all around, beam, and vault, 3rd floor, 6th bars.

Excel Gold medalists were Ellie Kelsey, 1st beam.  Evelynn Kelsey 1st floor, 2nd beam, 4th vault, 7th all around. Greta Virgin, 6th beam. Keira Clark, 3rd floor, 6th beam. Lauren Gaida, 1st floor, and bars, 2nd all-around and vault.

Level 8 medalists were Estelle Duerst, 4th beam, 5th bars, and 8th all around.  Amira Anschutz 5th floor.

Platinum gymnast Shaylyn Asher medaled 4th beam and 6th on bars.
 

The 2025 YMCA Gymnastic Nationals will be held June 23-29 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

You can listen to the entire interview with Nikki Pollman on the Y Wednesday podcast here.

Photos:

Level 8s and Platinum

left to right

Estelle Duerst, Amira Anschutz, Portia Hah, Platinum gymnast Shaylyn Asher

Golds

left to right

Greta Virgin, Evelynn Kelsey, Lauren Gaida, Keira Clark, Ellie Kelsey

Silvers

left to right

Taiya Couperus, Milana Reifsnyder, Adela Cordua-Stenzel, Maisie Kelnhofer, Genevieve Gigstead, Jessa Varney, Emma Higginbotham, Louisa Grenfell, Peyton Watermelon, Annabel Smullen, Hailey Clark, Piper Delarwelle, Jackson Varney, Cosette Orrick

Over 100 Door County community members came together Tuesday evening to celebrate the United Way’s annual meeting and honor this year’s Bob Stiefvater “Magnificent” Volunteer Award winner. 

Long-time volunteer Jeff Lange, who passed away in January, was chosen as the award recipient.  United Way Director of Operations Kelly Hellmann, who worked closely with Lange over the years, received the award on his behalf on Tuesday.

The United Way of Door County has presented the Bob Stiefvater “Magnificent” Volunteer Award every year since 1998.

During the annual meeting, Executive Director Amy Kohnle recognized internal program highlights, re-elected the 2025 Board of Directors, and had the sixteen strategic partners share their stories and programs that benefit from United Way funds.

United Way’s Karrie Anthony announced the new 2025 initiative, “Thriving Door County,” which will have an advisory committee that will look to address the ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed household) population in Door County. Up to 53 percent of people in some municipalities are at the poverty or ALICE levels.

The United Way also celebrated raising a record $942,000 during last year's annual campaign.  

At Tuesday's meeting, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council heard from the developer of a major apartment complex that is being planned to be built on North 14th Avenue.  Brian Spoerl from Spoerl Commercial, LLC informed the council how WHEDA, TIF, and tax credits would help fund the projected $12.6 million cost for the initial 39-unit housing complex in phase one of The Avenue project.  Spoerl said the affordable housing rentals would be available to people in the 30 percent to 60 percent of the median income in Door County.

Council member and Finance Committee Chair Dan Williams says the federal project will meet a significant need in the community.

Spoerl says plans are to develop a total of 59 housing units after the phase two project is completed.  After discussion, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council unanimously approved the Memorandum of Understanding with Spoerl Commercial and adopted the resolution with two motions.  The meeting ended with Mayor David Ward’s report and wrapped up in 30 minutes. 

(Rendering of The Avenue project by Spoerl Commercial)

A second grass fire in Door County, only a few hours apart, required the Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department to respond to a blaze off of County Road D in Brussels on Wednesday afternoon.  BUG Fire Department Captain Bryan Jeanquart said when crews arrived around 3 p.m., a large trash pile was on fire, and flames were spreading toward the house on the property. He says they were able to knock down the blaze that got within ten feet of the home.

Jeanquart notes that about one and a half acres of land burned and that the fire originated from a burning barrel where embers escaped. The BUG Fire Department was assisted by the Southern Door Fire Department, which was on the scene for a little more than an hour. The other fire in Egg Harbor earlier in the day was also caused by debris burning and was contained quickly by the Egg Harbor Fire Department. According to the DNR, the fire danger is at a high level for Door and Kewaunee counties.  

You can expect the return of wintry weather to make travel more difficult this evening through early tomorrow morning.  The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for the area with snow and sleet accumulations from four to six inches later Wednesday.  Winds are expected to be gusting up to 45 miles per hour, causing the blowing and drifting of snow tonight.  The weather warning is in effect from 4 p.m. Wednesday through 7 a.m. Thursday in Door County and from 7 p.m. Wednesday until 7 a.m. Thursday in Kewaunee County.  You can plan on slippery road conditions on Wednesday evening and Thursday morning during your morning commute.   Keep up to date with the latest radar and forecast on the DCDN websites

A Sturgeon Bay School District social studies teacher has received a prestigious honor from a state professional organization.  The Wisconsin Council for the Social Studies (WCSS) named Stephen Jacobson of T.J. Walker Middle School the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Teacher of the Year for Middle School.  Jacobson was nominated last fall for the award and was chosen for his professional duties, accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and innovations in this social studies curriculum.  He says he does not know who nominated him, but he is honored by the award and thankful for all the administrators, his colleagues, and the people of Sturgeon Bay.  

Jacobson, who has taught for 17 years at T.J. Walker Middle School,, was one of three social studies teachers (elementary, middle, and high school) in the state recognized at the WCSS’s annual conference, held in Madison last weekend.  

The Egg Harbor Fire Department was able to extinguish a field fire that damaged about an acre of land in the town of Egg Harbor on Wednesday.  Egg Harbor Fire Chief Justin MacDonald says fire crews were dispatched at 12:30 p.m. to a blaze the size of a football field off Plum Button Road about a half-mile east of Highway 42 in the town of Egg Harbor.  He says the fast actions of a dozen firefighters and the less-than-windy conditions prevented the fire from spreading any worse or reaching a nearby barn.

MacDonald says the cause of the fire was from a small burning of debris by the property owner that got out of control.  The Egg Harbor Fire Department personnel were able to clear the scene shortly before 2 p.m. and no injuries were reported. 

Before you see tractors and other vehicles heading to their fields on area roadways, you might find some farmers walking them. The recent spring-like weather has allowed some crops like alfalfa, triticale, and winter wheat to green up, but to what extent is yet to be seen. Ebert Enterprises Conservation Manager Nick Guilette says the lack of snow cover this winter exposed their fields to the elements, including a sub-zero degree stretch in January that he fears may have killed off some of the plants. Before haulers begin to spread manure and operations teams start to plant, Guilette says scout teams have to decide what kinds of changes need to be made to get what they need from the land.

Guilette says farmers need favorable weather to start off on the right foot, unlike last year, when the amount and frequency of rain slowed their progress on planting. Mother Nature is certainly not helping this week, with cool and wet weather expected over the next several days. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection encourages farmers to check the Manure Advisory System to assess their run-off risk before spreading on their fields.

Two members of the Door County YMCA’s Youth in Government took on some of the top roles offered during last weekend’s statewide Youth in Government Conference in Madison. The program allows students to receive hands-on experience in state government, such as debate and legislation writing. Lauren Meacham showcased her knowledge of the legal system to earn the role of Chief Justice, while Elise Jackson used her policy discussion skills to get elected President of the Senate and earned Outstanding Senator recognition. Earlier this year, Jackson explained how her experience in the Door County YMCA’s Youth in Government program shaped her platform of civics on her path toward becoming Miss Door County Teen.

Elise Jackson, Ben Grota, and Violet Jackson also had bills that made it through the legislative process. The Door County YMCA celebrated the achievements of this year’s program, saying that their dedication to public service, leadership, and the democratic process is truly inspiring. 

You can voice your opinion Wednesday night at a public hearing on a rezoning request for property being earmarked for a 75-lot subdivision on Sturgeon Bay’s east side.

The Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission will hold a public hearing for the rezoning in Council Chambers at City Hall at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19. 

The rezoning would be for about 27 acres of property off North 8th Avenue on the city’s northeast side that is vacant and once was an apple orchard.  F & M Home Innovation Partners and Portside Builders are planning to develop 57 lots of single-family homes and 18 lots (36 units) for two-family duplexes.  Single-family housing would consist of a mixture of modest and higher-end dwellings and duplexes.

If the rezoning request is approved for recommendation after the public hearing on Wednesday at the Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission meeting, it will be sent to the Sturgeon Bay Common Council for final approval at a future meeting.

(photo of property on North 8th Avenue between 1200 and 1300 block)

The Kewaunee County Board of Supervisors looks to award Luxemburg-based Rice Engineering with a contract that could reshape the facilities of the Kewaunee County Highway Department for years to come.

The county has submitted a request for proposals for the design and renovation of seven facilities. At approximately 21,000 square feet, the request for proposals included two additions to existing buildings and two new facilities. Some improvements include a wash bay, a welding shop with an overhead crane, and storage facilities. Most of the work would be done at the main highway shop in Footbridge, though the county’s shops in Casco, Algoma, and Stangelville and its hot mix plant will also be inspected. According to the agenda packet for the March meeting, Rice Engineering will perform the design services for $179,500. Much like its work on a new jail facility, addressing the needs of its main highway shop has been on the to-do list for the county board for the last few years. The Kewaunee County Board will also consider grants for its snowmobile and ATV trails and purchasing a portable, single-bin recycle system when it meets on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Kewaunee County Administration Center in Kewaunee. 

A 72-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman had to be transported to Door County Medical Center for suspected serious injuries after being involved in a two-vehicle accident Saturday afternoon. The accident occurred before 12:45 p.m. near the intersection of Jefferson Street and 4th Avenue. The woman was traveling with her husband when their sports utility vehicle was rear-ended from behind by a pickup truck with four teenagers. According to the accident report, the drivers of the other vehicle said they were pressing the brake pedal down to the ground when the accident occurred. He later stated that the brakes would “work most of the time.” The woman suffered neck and head injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to the hospital for additional treatment. The husband and the four teens were uninjured, but the teen driver received a citation for operating a motor vehicle without capable brakes. The responding officers from the Sturgeon Bay Police Department took about 15 minutes to clear the scene.

You can cast your ballot at your municipal clerk’s office for the spring election beginning this week. The two-week in-person absentee voting window opens on Tuesday, with statewide and municipal races on the ballot. The battle for the Wisconsin Supreme Court is garnering nationwide attention, where Dane County Circuit Court Judge Susan Crawford faces Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge and former Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel.  In the other statewide race, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Jill Underly looks to protect her job from challenger Brittany Kinser. According to the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign, more than $37 million have been poured into the two races as of March 12th.

In Kewaunee County, most municipal government races are uncontested except for a few. In the Town of Pierce, Lee Miskovich, Kurt Burmeister, and Mitchell Stauber are vying for two spots on the town board. In the Town of Red River, Trina Kerscher is up against Sarah Marie Monfils for Town Clerk. No one is running for president in the Village of Casco, but Daniel Andres, Dennis Cravillion, and Dan Laak are competing for two spots as trustees. The City of Algoma will have one contested race out of its four aldermanic districts as Dawn Kidd and Jake Maring go head to head. The City of Kewaunee will have two registered write-ins for voters with Edward House (District 2) and Roger Zimmerman (District 3). Zimmerman will go against Joe Mills in the District 3 race.

Door County has a little more competition, with several contested races throughout the peninsula. In Sister Bay, Patrice Champeau, Brigid White, and write-in candidates Steven Bacsi, Terry Kelly, Chad Kodanko, and Eric Smith are going against each other for three seats on the Village Board. In Brussels, Galen DeJardin and Austin Vandertie are vying for the Town Supervisor 2 seat in one of the few races that required a primary. In Forestville, David Samuels, Randy Schmidt, and Loren Uecker are looking to fill two open seats on the town board. On Washington Island, Gordon Berggren and Peter Sownie hope to replace outgoing chairperson Hans Lux, while Martin W. Andersen, Margaret Foss, and Loren Roznai set their sights on two supervisor seats. Village of Ephraim voters will see three candidates running for two seats on its board: Marcia Ellis, Carly Mulliken, and Richard Hoyerman. Angela Lensch, while Scott Rasmussen and Michael Johnson are looking to fill a pair of spots on the Village of Egg Harbor Board. David Ward and Andrea Frank are battling for the mayoral seat in Sturgeon Bay, although Ward will be the only one on the ballot. District 5 is the only contested seat on the ballot for the Sturgeon Bay Common Council, with Heather Weasler challenging Gary Nault. The other municipal seats are uncontested.

There will also be referendum questions on the ballot, though only Kewaunee School District residents will have to worry about two. The entire state will weigh in on codifying the state’s voter identification law into the state constitution. At the same time, Kewaunee School District residents will vote on a $24.5 million capital referendum to see portions of the building renovated to address space needs, among other improvements.

The early voting window officially ends on March 30th, though most in Door and Kewaunee counties will end at the end of the business day on March 28th.

Almost as quickly as a movie itself, the casting call to be a part of one ended. On Thursday before 2:30 p.m., Destination Door County released a casting call for local community volunteers to be extras in an upcoming movie to be filmed in the area. The details on the film are slim, except that Cherry Pie Film LLC is working with Destination Door County, Travel Wisconsin, and other Wisconsin-based partners to bring the movie to the area. Well before noon on Friday, Destination Door County closed the application after receiving hundreds of responses in less than 18 hours. Even after the recent success of Green and Gold in movie theaters, Jen Rogers from Destination Door County was still shocked by how quickly they filled up.

Rogers adds that they will keep adding details to their movie website, and if you signed up to be an extra, check your email in the coming weeks. While the new film likely will not be released until the second half of the year, you will have more opportunities to see Door County’s latest cameo on a small screen near you. After a five-week run in theaters, Green and Gold will be available for purchase on streaming platforms by April 1st.

In roses to the doorsteps of unsuspecting recipients has been a hallmark of a Sturgeon Bay charitable organization that has been making a difference in the community for many years. The Sturgeon Bay Lions Club is conducting the annual "Roses for Spring" campaign. Local Lions President Steve Heinz says the funds raised from the rose sale go towards many community projects, including the “We Serve” scholarships given to Sturgeon Bay high school students every spring.

The Roses for Spring sales period ends on April 1st. Orders can be placed through Lions members for $18 per dozen, with delivery dates of Friday, April 25th, and Saturday, April 26th.

Lions International was founded in 1917, and its clubs worldwide are best known for fighting blindness.  The Sturgeon Bay Lions Club has conducted over 2,500 eye screenings for community members over the years. 

(photos courtesy of Sturgeon Bay Lions Club)

A former governor of Wisconsin will share his story and offer important information to you on supporting those impacted by Alzheimer's disease in Door County next Wednesday.  Governor Marty Schreiber will speak at Sunshine Resources in Sturgeon Bay, trumpeting a message of hope and the importance of becoming more involved in changing the course of the devastating disease of Alzheimer's.  Drawing on personal experience, Schreiber shared the last time he was in Sturgeon Bay that it is important for a caregiver to reach out for help while dealing with a loved one with Alzheimer's.  

 Schreiber wrote a book "My Two Elaines", sharing his wife's struggle with Alzheimers' before her passing in 2022 after a 20-year battle with the disease. The "Learning, Coping & Surviving As An Alzheimer's Caregiver" program is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Association.  The event at Sunshine Resources will be Wednesday, March 19, from 4:00 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Registration is requested but not required, by contacting Cari Josephson at (920) 609-1342 or cajosephson@alz.org. 

It feels like Crossroads at Big Creek is breaking dormancy as we spring into Spring Break Week by offering an array of lectures, family programs and restoration opportunities. 

We kick things off by hosting the Door County Science on Tap Program: "SUCKERS" featuring Karen Murchie of Chicago's Shedd Aquarium at Bridge Up Brewery on Thursday, March 20.  On Tuesday, March 25, Master Gardeners and Wild Ones bring Soil Scientist Jamie Patton to our lecture hall. And a Fish Tales Lecture is scheduled for Thursday, March 27.

Then, because the final week of March is Spring Break for many schools, we have planned school-out Excursions for young people and their families.

 Saturday Science, starting at 2:00 on March 22, will be the "Birdy Olympics," in which families will learn some amazing physical attributes of birds by comparing them to their abilities. On Monday, at 10:00, families will experience "Watery Fun in the Lab," and on Tuesday at 10:00, the School's Out program will be "Birds of Prey." Representatives from the Open Door Bird Sanctuary will bring several live raptors, and following the program, families will have the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet.

"Soil and Your Garden" is the topic for the Wild Ones/Master Gardener Lecture on Tuesday, March 25, at 6:30. If you are planning a pollinator garden, a landscaping or restoration project on your property, or interested in growing your food, but aren’t sure your soil is up to the task?  No worries!  Jamie Patton, soil scientist, will discuss ways to test and amend your soils to get the productive garden you’ve always wanted.  She'll cover everything from in-ground plantings to raised bed and container gardening!

Finally, this month's Fish Tales Lecture, "Fisheries of the Menominee Nation," will focus on Lake Sturgeon on Thursday, March 27, at 7:00 PM. For the people of Sturgeon Bay and the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, sturgeon have always held deep cultural and ecological significance.

Ann Jinkins and Maggie Weir explained in their book Sturgeon Bay that French explorer Fr. Claude Allouez, who wintered with the Potawatomi in 1676, was the first to describe the “La Portage des Esturgeons,” apparently referring to the abundance of sturgeon in the bay.

In the book, A Brief History of Door County   [and it is brief, having been written in 1881], Charles I. Martin wrote: "The name of that arm or bay off Green Bay, now known as "Sturgeon Bay," originated among the Menominee Indians. They so named it because its outline was about the shape of a sturgeon, particularly because of that species ..… being so plentiful in these waters. "

Last year, the Sturgeon Bay Library selected Braiding Sweetgrass, Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants as the Door County Reads book. Crossroads was honored to host the Virtual Author Talk featuring Robin Wall Kimmerer, who described a land ethic rooted in generations of ancestral wisdom and gratitude. She explained that we can create a more sustainable environment through reciprocity—by taking and using resources responsibly while giving back.

Last fall, again in collaboration with the Sturgeon Bay Library, we participated in the Wisconsin Science Festival, which in 2024 focused on agriculture. Inspired by Kimmerer’s work and recognizing that the Menominee ancestors once lived—at least seasonally—on each of Crossroads’ three preserves, we offered the program Agriculture of the Menominee.

Frank Kutka discussed how Menominee agricultural practices have been rediscovered in our region's forests, and Jacob Grignon, Cultural Resource Protection Officer for Menominee Historic Preservation, inspired us by sharing how his people view their relationship with plants.

Mark Holey, our Fish Tales Lecture Series organizer, attended both programs. As a retired fisheries biologist, he had worked with several tribes on fisheries-related issues. Through this work, he became acquainted with Jeremy Pyatskowit, Director of Environmental Services for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, who has been involved in a sturgeon restoration project,  and invited him to speak. During this lecture, Pyatskowit will share the Menominee creation story to help us understand the significance of the fisheries project he oversees.

In other activities, because it is spring break, the Junior Nature Club will welcome siblings, cousins, and learners of all ages for a one-hour experience in nature play.  Habitat Healers, folks who want to get involved in our restoration projects, will meet Saturday March 22 on to learn about a pre-burn biotic index survey and help to identify or learn how to identify plants.

Fish...soil,  birds...water ...restoration.... learning  AND FUN. We are springing forward.

Saturday, March 22 

9:00 am Habitat Healers: Floral Index & Ida Site Prep

Help heal the earth! Volunteers of all ages are invited to help with our land restoration efforts. Pre-burn biotic index survey. Help identify or learn how to identify plants. Dress for the weather. Meet at Ida Bay Preserve, 1195 Canal Road, Sturgeon Bay, WI

2:00 Science Saturday – Birdy Olympics

Starting at 2:00, Families will learn some amazing physical attributes of birds by comparing their own physical abilities.. Geared for elementary students,  but learners of all ages are welcome. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

 Monday, March 24   

10:00 WaTery Fun in the Lab                                                                                                          An array of water-related activities and demonstrations will help families learn some of the unique properties of water. Activities for all ages levels. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay.

1:30  Video Presentation: Interview with Dan Egan

This video was recorded during the 2019 “Celebrate Water Summit." In it, award-winning writer Dan Egan discusses his book “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.” The screening is free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay

Tuesday, March 25

10:00 School’s Out Excursion – Birds of Prey

School's Out Excursion - Birds of Prey - Crossroads at Big Creek

Join one of our naturalists for some free family-oriented activities and nature exploration. Suitable for all ages. Representatives from the Open Door Bird Sanctuary will bring several live raptors for a program geared toward families. Following the program, families will have the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet. Free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay

Wednesday, March 26 

1:30 Wandering Wednesday – Naturalist Led Hike

Wandering Wednesday - Naturalist Led Hike - Crossroads at Big Creek

Join one of our naturalists for some free family-oriented activities and nature exploration. Suitable for all ages. Participate in a naturalist-led hike. It's easy walking and will take about an hour. It's free and open to the public.Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay. 

3:00 Junior Nature Club: Family Day Hike

Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series aimed at connecting pre-school-aged children (ages 3 and up). Because schools are out, siblings, cousins, and friends are invited to join the toddlers in exploring Crossroads. The program is free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Thursday, March 27 

7:00 Fish Tales Lecture: Fisheries of the Menominee Nation

 Jeremy Pyatskowit (Director-Environmental Services Department – Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin) “ will describe fisheries on the Menominee Reservation with emphasis on sturgeon. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by sponsored by Healthy Water Door County. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, or via Zoom. Or Facebook Live by going to  https://doorcountylibrary.org/event on the date to find the link

Hundreds of revelers braved a windy and cool March day in downtown Sturgeon Bay on Saturday morning to celebrate the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. Dozens of decorated floats and participants colored the route through Madison Avenue and the Michigan Street bridge to Third Avenue as children made a haul with candy and special handouts.  The weather cooperated as initial forecasts of rain proved false and the festive crowd only had to deal with overcast skies and strong winds along the parade route. 
 

Below is the parade video broadcast of the parade  on DoorCountyDailyNews LIVE.  

After the parade, St. Patrick's Day activities continued citywide with live music entertainment from local Irish restaurant Kitty O’Reilly while Third Avenue PlayWorks hosted its final indoor market of the season.

You can help a Baileys Harbor playground park be selected as one of the top 10 Parks in America.

The Kendall Weisgerber Memorial Playground in Baileys Harbor has been nominated for the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards for best playground in the country. 

The park, built in 1992, celebrated its re-grand opening last June. It features 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, who drowned at the age of six in 1992.

Voting began this last week and will end on Monday, April 7.  The top winners will be announced on Wednesday, April 16.  You can cast your vote by clicking on this link.

Over the years, I have written numerous articles on the various scams and frauds reported to us, along with some helpful tips to avoid becoming a victim. Even with all this outreach and awareness, we still have people being victimized by various scams and fraud. While numerous forms of scams are being perpetuated, they all follow a similar methodology and rely on the same basic tactics to catch people at their most vulnerable. I want to use this article as an opportunity to discuss “The Anatomy of a Scam”

While the scam I will walk you through is what we would call “The Grandchild Scam”, most if not all scams follow the same methodology. The scam actually begins before the call is even answered in that the perpetrators are now using a method called “Cloning” to attach their call to a familiar number. Gone are the days when these calls would come in as “Unknown” or “Unlisted.” They realized that people were catching on to this, so they adapted. This provides a sense of legitimacy as the number may have a familiar area code or even the entire number. Also, to establish legitimacy, they may or may not state a name. If they state a name, they most likely have done some research and have the correct name. This is where social media can be problematic. Be careful what you post. In other cases, they will just state “This is your Grandson/ Granddaughter”. Too often, the potential victims will then give their names in an attempt to confirm.

The first step in any scam is to elevate the potential victim’s sense of emotion. This is done by creating a crisis in which the “Grandchild” is involved. The general tactic here is that the greater the level of emotion, the lower the level of logic. This same approach is used when the caller states they are from a law enforcement agency, the IRS, or, in a positive way, a lottery representative with news of a big win. In all cases, elevating the potential victim’s emotional state is the goal.

The next step is isolation. The perpetrators know that if their potential victim shares the story and requests money, those people will not have the same elevated emotion and will view the entire situation with logic, thus drastically limiting the potential success of their scam. In this scam, the caller stated that they are in jail. They would then go on to state that they need money for bail, but they ask that the potential victim not tell anyone as it could affect their job. This may make perfect sense for someone in a state of heightened emotion.

The final part is the actual transaction details. In this call, the perpetrator says they will pick up the money. This, of course, should bring with it numerous safety concerns. Many times, this original plan is shifted to having the potential victim either go to a bank to initiate a wire transfer or a trip to a Walmart to purchase money cards, which will allow the transaction to take place more conveniently for the victim. In recent cases, the perpetrator had sent out a courier to pick up the money.

When you do receive any call of such a nature, it is important to end the call as soon as possible. The longer you stay on that call, the greater the chance the caller will draw you into their story. I call this the difference between a “Hard Target” and a “Soft Target.” If the caller senses hesitation or an inclination to believe the story, they will turn up the pressure or even call again. If you display a solid, no-nonsense approach that is decisive and conclusive approach, they will most likely move on to someone else, who will be that “Soft Target” they are looking for.

Also, in this age of the emerging use of artificial intelligence, the convergence of fiction and reality poses an even more significant challenge in spotting and preventing these scams.

We are blessed to live in a close-knit community, and we need to use those personal connections to minimize our isolation and, thus, our vulnerability to these scams. This is our greatest defense against such scams: our willingness to share stories. Even if such scams have victimized you, share that story. It may prevent future victimization. If you find yourself in that moment of a potential scam, please get in touch with your trusted financial institution or local law enforcement before any financial transaction occurs. Once the transaction has occurred, our ability to follow up or recover any financial loss is extremely limited.

Four ice anglers fishing on the bay of Green Bay just south of Little Sturgeon were rescued Friday afternoon.  The Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department responded to the emergency call around 4 p.m. off Lime Kiln Road in the town of Gardner.  BUG Fire Chief Curt Vandertie said the fishermen were stranded on thin ice that broke away and was surrounded by water.  

 A Nasewaupee Fire Department airboat was used along with the U.S. Coast Guard to rescue the four individuals.  Vandertie said with the wind conditions and current temperatures that were almost 60 degrees on Friday, the ice fishing season should be over for the season.  The scene was cleared shortly before 5:30 p.m.   All ice shanties are required to be off the ice this weekend, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

A plan to bring locally produced food to your child’s lunchroom in Sturgeon Bay is being served with a side of uncertainty after a United States Department of Agriculture announcement earlier this week. Politico reported on Monday that the United States Department of Agriculture has axed two programs accounting for more than $1 billion that would have given food banks and schools money to purchase from local farms to meet their needs. Wisconsin was one of approximately 40 states that tapped into the program, allowing school districts to buy locally produced food from small farmers for its breakfast and lunch service. The funding helped food service directors like Sturgeon Bay’s Jenny Spude keep those federal funds local by working with businesses like Waseda Farms, Baileys Harbor Fish Company, Organic Valley, and others. She says those federal funds helped her develop relationships with those businesses that brought more nutritious, locally produced food into lunchrooms across the district at a more cost-efficient price.

Spude says further cuts to its school lunch program could make it difficult to keep meal prices affordable for families or continue to serve high-quality, nutritious items to students.

Another Kewaunee County shipwreck was given special distinction this month when the schooner Margaret A. Muir was placed on the State Register of Historic Places. Discovered last May, the Muir was a 130-foot ship built in Manitowoc to supplement the grain trade across the Great Lakes. The ship was on its way to South Chicago with a full load of bulk salt from Michigan when it encountered rough winds after clearing the Straits of Mackinac. It was not until the Muir was near Ahnapee (present-day Algoma) that it was realized that the ship was taking on water, and it eventually sank on September 30th, 1893. It was discovered by Brendon Baillod, Robert Jaeck, and Kevin Cullen, who also found the Trinidad and, most recently, the John Evenson. The trio found all three shipwrecks within an approximately two-year time frame. After finding the Evenson last fall, Baillod said a lot of work goes into their process to discover these ships lost in time.

Other sites of significance recognized by the Wisconsin Historical Society this month include St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Marquette County, the New Glarus Hotel in Green County, the Gay Building (now called the Churchill Building) in Dane County, and Root River Parks in Racine County. Root River Parks was designed by Jens Jensen, who founded The Clearing Folk School in Ellison Bay, created the curvy road leading to Northport, and helped establish The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor.

While it may look spring in your backyard, it still feels like winter for the Washington Island Ferry Line. Due to the continued heavy ice presence on the Bay, the Washington Island Ferry Line announced this week it would be running an altered five-round-trip schedule from March 15th through April 3rd. In addition to its two vessels that can break ice, the United States Coast Guard announced that it was resuming its ice-cutting missions this week to open up shipping lanes in the Great Lakes. Washington Island Ferry Line President Hoyt Purinton says this is the second time in the last seven years they have had to take these kinds of precautions heading into the spring season, though he admits it should be a more regular occurrence. He says the decision to make the change is being made to manage the expectations of those who may rely on the ferry to get to and from Washington Island in preparation for the summer months.

You can make affordable housing in Door County a reality to two families this year no matter which end of the peninsula you live. For the second year in a row, the organization will provide volunteers to build a home in Sister Bay as a part of its relationship with the Door County Housing Partnership. Last year, it built a home for a young family that allowed a teacher from Northern Door Children’s Center in Sister Bay to stay in the area. Door County Habitat for Humanity will also build its own home in Sturgeon Bay for the Ferron family after taking a hiatus in 2024. Executive Director Lori Allen says whether you have experience or not, there are multiple ways you can help support their home build, with or without a hammer.

While the groundbreaking for the two homes is several weeks away, Allen encourages potential volunteers to sign up now to participate in the home build or to bring snacks, drinks, and meals to the crews. 

You will have to carry a few extra bucks with you if you plan on visiting any of Washington Island’s public parks this upcoming year. The Washington Island Parks Committee is proposing a $3 daily parks pass fee for visitors 18 years and older to visit all 11 Town of Washington parks, such as Schoolhouse Beach, People’s Park, Little Lake, and Jill J.J. Jorgenson Memorial Park. Residents will be issued four Parks Passes per household, with more available upon request. The entrance and exit to Schoolhouse Beach will receive a facelift to construct an entrance gate where people will have to purchase or show their parks pass to access the popular destination. Washington Island Parks Committee member Loren Roznai says as the area has become more and more popular, so have the expenses to keep it beautiful. She says there were lots of good questions asked during the public hearings with most residents understanding why the parks pass is needed..

This is not the first attempt to institute a parks pass fee on the island. Roznai says the first attempt was two to three years ago but believes its fast rollout caused it to be abandoned. Instituting a parks pass was not the only discussion item on Washington Island worthy of public hearings this week. Residents could also make their voices heard about changes to the island’s short-term rental ordinance. 

You might have noticed them on the sidelines of local sporting events, but an athletic trainer's job goes beyond taping ankles and treating injured student-athletes on the court or field.  Door County Medical Center Athletic Trainer Dave Stahlke has over 30 years of working at different levels of sports, including USA Hockey and, most recently, the Gibraltar School District.  He says the focus is always on the kids and ensuring they get the proper care to prevent injuries and the subsequent follow-up and rehab if needed. 

Stahlke says he has been dealing recently with three serious ACL injuries to student-athletes at Gibraltar High School that require post-therapy, which includes dry land and bridge programs to facilitate a 7-10 month recovery.  Athletic directors often assist students to ensure they are mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for the lengthy rehabilitation.  Stahlke notes that the most rewarding part of being an athletic trainer for him is connecting with players, coaches, and parents and having success following adversity.  

According to Stahlke, each Door County school is assigned an athletic director at no cost to the school, which is rarely found in other rural areas.  You can listen to the full conversation with Dave Stahlke on the DCMC Community Connections podcast page here. 

While Friday is a cute reminder to test your memory or add dessert to your meal, the word pi (depending on how you spell it) is an everyday occurrence. Pi, mathematically speaking, is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. The number Pi, which is 3.14159 (and so on), is used in several different industries. It helps calculate the capacity of tanks, pipes, and storage containers and designs curved structures such as arches, domes, tunnels, and bridges. The number is also used to track cargo ships and predict the weather. In its most simple use, pi is used to measure the area and circumference of a circle. It is handy if you are a baker or restaurant owner like the Village Kitchen’s Chris Jacobs, who hopes people celebrate “pie” day.

While pie has become a part of Pi Day, it started in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw, who organized the first celebration at the San Francisco Exploratorium as a way to make math more fun. After it was officially recognized as National Pi Day in 2009 by the U.S. Congress, the United National Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared March 14th as International Math Day. Ironically, March 14th is also the birthday of the late Albert Einstein.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

You can be assured that you receive top-flight healthcare at Door County Medical Center, and they recently received the awards to prove it. Based on patient feedback, the Sturgeon Bay-based hospital recently received five awards from Professional Research Consultants, Inc. (PRC). Those awards were for Inpatient Services (Award of Distinction and Med/Surg: Top Performer), diagnostic imaging (5-Star), emergency department (5-Star), and surgical services (5-Star). According to Chief Nursing Officer Christa Krause, the awards are nothing new for Door County Medical Center. She says awards like these indicate a positive patient experience when they trust Door County Medical Center with their care, which could lead to better patient outcomes along the way.

Both the Award of Distinction and Top Performer awards are reserved for service lines that score at or above the 100th percentile, while the 5-Star Awards are for service lines that score in the 90th percentile and above. 

With the snow melting away and relatively drier and warmer weather conditions, area fire departments are asking residents to get proper permits for outdoor burning. Southern Door Fire Chief Rich Olson says his municipalities can be selective in issuing burning permits based on the current weather conditions. He says you should continually monitor the fire site and have water resources nearby.  

According to the Department of Natural Resources website, the fire danger level for Door and Kewaunee County is classified as moderate. Fires should be kept at least 75 feet from all buildings, and a metal screen can prevent sparks from flying out. Olson recommends contacting your local fire department, town chair, or municipal official to obtain burning regulation information and permits.

Two perennial championship teams from the Door County YMCA are preparing for sectional and state competitions this weekend.

The DCY Swim Team and the Strivers gymnastics team will compete with hopes of advancing in the individual and team competitions.

Door County YMCA Marketing Director Makayla Thoma says each program's past and present successes are remarkable, with kids from all over the area competing.

The Strivers will have 23 gymnasts competing at the 2025 State YMCA Gymnastics Championship at West Bend East and West High Schools on Saturday, March 15, and Sunday, March 16.

The state sectionals in swimming will be held in Wausau on Friday and Saturday, with over 85 DCY swim team members competing and another 49 swimmers who have already qualified for the state competition in Brown Deer next weekend, March 22-23.  

Five swimmers have already secured spots at the Nationals, which will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina, from March 31 to April 4. DCY Swim Team members Jack Monfils, Julia Michalski, Sue Mann, and Daylia Sund are qualified in individual events, and Megan Quaderer is qualified in relays.   

You can listen to the entire interview with Makayla Thoma on the Y Wednesday Podcast Page here.  

With the end of the ice fishing season here, especially with the recent higher temperatures causing a high melt rate on the bay and lake, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (Wis-DNR) is reminding local ice anglers that they need to have their permanent shanties removed from Lake Michigan and Green Bay by March 16.  The inland waters deadline was March 2 for locations south of Highway 64 in the state. 

Although the shanties can be used after this weekend, they must be removed if they are not actively in use.  The DNR suggests that if you need help removing your shanty, you should contact local fishing clubs, vendors, and other anglers.    Impacting local ice conditions besides the weather is that the United States Coast Guard is beginning ice-breaking operations this week in anticipation of the Great Lakes shipping season approaching.  U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief Chris Zahn shared tips to stay safe on the ice, especially during the late season.

No ice is 100 percent safe, and anglers should check with local bait shops and fishing clubs for current ice conditions before trying to remove their shanties.

A motion by the village of Sister Bay to dismiss a lawsuit filed by four short-term rental (STR) owners was denied in court proceedings last Friday.

According to court records, Door County Judge Jennifer Moeller issued a written decision dismissing the village's motion after hearing oral arguments last month. The lawsuit, filed last September, stems from the four STR owners challenging the village of Sister Bay’s limit on the number of bedrooms allowed in a short-term rental property.

The four STL owners are Nick and Tara Froemming of the Cherry Cabana, Hunter and Jessica Clinton of Starkhaus, John and Erin Wilson of The Sister Bay Haus, and Mark and Caley Swanson. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty of Milwaukee represents them.  

The first claim in the complaint filed last year challenges Sister Bay’s ordinance limiting STRs to just four bedrooms. This is based on the Wisconsin right-to-rent law, which states that a municipality “may not enact or enforce an ordinance that prohibits the rental of a residential dwelling.”  

Sister Bay Administrator Julie Schmelzer, named in the original lawsuit along with the village, was dismissed as a co-defendant in the case last month.

The four STR owners were denied a temporary injunction last November that would have prohibited the village from enforcing the four-bedroom, 12-person limit on the number of guests who can sleep in the rental.

A summary judgment could decide the lawsuit if both parties agree to it or by a court trial in the future.

A 48-year-old Kewaunee County man died from injuries suffered from a tractor rollover accident on Monday.  According to the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, Shawn Gau was trapped under a tractor that rolled over him on private property off  9^th Road in the Town of Pierce shortly before noon.  The initial investigation determined that the incident occurred when the victim attempted to free a second piece of equipment that had gotten stuck and the tractor became unstable and rolled over. Gau was pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries incurred in the accident.   The incident remains under investigation by the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department.    

Two Door County organizations are coming together on a new opportunity to connect the area’s adults and children under one roof. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Door County and the Boys and Girls Club of the Bay and Lakes Region are working together on The Big Club. In the Big Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors will be paired with a Boys and Girls Club member to participate in a twice-a-month program where pre-planned activities will take them through emotional wellness development, STEM concepts, relationship building, and recreation.

The Big Club takes place on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. You'll be able to contact the Boys and Girls Club at their Sturgeon Bay office to learn more about the opportunity.

You can kick off your St. Patrick’s Day celebration a little earlier than next Monday’s Irish holiday of note.  In collaboration with Destination Sturgeon Bay, the City of Sturgeon Bay is hosting its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.  The parade route begins at Sawyer Park before reaching Madison Avenue and across the Michigan Street Bridge before finishing at the end of the Third Avenue and Jefferson Street intersection. 

Live entertainment will be offered at venues throughout the city, including Kitty O’Reilly’s annual celebration.  Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) will also be hosting the final indoor Winter Market from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

With food pantry usage across the country rising as fast as grocery bills, local food pantries are wondering how they will be able to keep up with demand.

The United States Department of Agriculture announced on Monday more than $1 billion in cuts to key programs that helped school districts and food pantries purchase products from local farmers and ranchers. While cutting those programs did not affect them, Sandy Soik from the Lakeshore CAP Food Pantry says they have been notified of a 40 to 50 percent cut in the commodities they receive through the USDA, something she adds will have to be made up through donations.

Soik points out that traffic at the pantry has increased from approximately 4,900 people served in 2023 to more than 6,100 in 2024. Soik says that just about everything is needed now to keep their shelves full.

Lakeshore CAP Food Pantry is a part of the larger Door County Food Pantry Coalition, which supports individuals and families at nine locations throughout the peninsula.

A shuffling of roles within Fincantieri Marine Group has led to a different role for Bay Shipbuilding Vice President and General Manager Jan Allman.

The company announced late last week that Allman will cross the bay to serve as the CEO of Fincantieri Marinette Marine after its current CEO took on a different role with the company as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations in Washington D.C. This will be the second stint as Fincantieri Marinette Marine CEO for Allman, who oversaw the production of Freedom-class littoral combat ships and the start of the frigate program in Marinette from  2014 to 2021. She has been the Vice President and General Manager of Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding since July 2023.

Allman’s successor at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding was not named in the release. 

You will be able to see a rare astronomical phenomenon later this week if Mother Nature cooperates.  According to NASA, a total eclipse featuring a “blood moon” will start appearing in the night skies very late Thursday evening into early Friday morning.  The lunar eclipse totality will be around 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. on Friday morning.

Dave Lenius, president of the Door Peninsula Astronomical Society (DCAS), says this will be the last chance to view a total lunar eclipse in North America for quite a while. The moon's total eclipse occurs when it passes between the Earth and the sun, blocking nearly all the sun's light and giving the moon a deep red color.   

Lenius says March is a classic change-of-season month, when winter constellations give way to spring constellations, allowing for opportunities to see night sky wonders through amateur telescopes.

Overall, the blood moon eclipse will last about six hours, from just before midnight on Thursday to 6:00 a.m. Friday.   No special equipment will be needed to view it.

You will be able to experience the 94-year-old Potawatomi State Park observation tower again this spring after it was closed for over seven years due to wood decay on the structure.  The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced on Monday that the tower will open in spring as weather allows. 

DNR Secretary Karen Hyun stated, “After intensive restoration work is completed and the necessary structural inspections have been passed, we are ready to reopen the historic and iconic observation tower at Potawatomi State Park.”

In addition to the tower reopening, Gov. Evers and the DNR announced the inclusion of an additional project at Potawatomi State Park in the Capital Development Budget to create a fully accessible lookout that will provide a viewing experience to park users of all abilities. The project will re-appropriate the remaining dollars from the observation tower restoration, along with new dollars to fund the project.

Do not be shocked if you see the U.S. Coast Guard Mackinaw in action this week as the seasons turn. Last week, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that the cutter would begin its ice-breaking operations starting on March 10th. The work is being done now in anticipation of the Great Lakes shipping season. The Mackinaw is scheduled to cut an initial track into Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay before expanding its operations to include all navigable waters around Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and Marinette in Wisconsin and the Michigan communities of Menominee and Escanaba based on the ice conditions and the demands of commercial shipping. The U.S. Coast Guard recommends that ice anglers use extra caution and avoid charted navigation areas. You can also expect that some of the freighters involved in this year’s Winter Fleet at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding will depart the area in the coming weeks.

USCG photo by Master Chief Petty Officer Alan Haraf

Hunters and anglers may either have to reel in a new hobby or hunt for another state to pursue their passion if they do not want to pay the new fees announced by Governor Tony Evers as a part of his 2025-2027 budget.

Fees would increase by $10 to $40 depending on the license being obtained under the proposal. For example, a resident deer hunting license would jump from $22 to $42, and a resident fishing license would increase from $20 to $30. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, inflation and sluggish license sales are the culprits for the increase. The DNR relies on license sales for portions of its budget and has seen cost increases for some of its services. Non-resident fees were increased in 2023, but Wisconsinites have not seen their fees for hunting and fishing rise since 2005.

Several Republican members of the Assembly have spoken against the increases, with Rep. Ron Tusler and Rep. Tyler August saying that the state should be doing more to encourage hunting and fishing and not price them out. Rep. Joel Kitchens joined that frustration in his weekly e-update, wishing Governor Evers worked with the outdoors community before releasing his budget. While he opened the door to some more modest increase, he added that “these dramatic fee hikes won't be included in the budget plan we send back to Governor Evers.” 

For those hoping to connect with U.S. Rep. Tony Wied after he officially took office last November, Monday night is your next best chance.

The freshman Republican congressman from the Green Bay area is hosting his first tele-town hall on Monday at 6:45 p.m. The virtual event comes after U.S. Senator Ron Johnson conducted his tele-town hall on February 27th, and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin hosted hers on February 13th. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2020, will join him on the call.

Wied has drawn the ire of area Democrats for not having an in-person town hall like fellow Republicans in the House Scott Fitzgerald and Glenn Grothman, causing a reported 230 people to show up outside a Suamico restaurant where a campaign event for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Brad Schimel.

Closer to home, Wisconsin legislators will host their own listening sessions as they craft their version of the state budget. State Senator Andre Jacque will begin conducting his at the end of March, with April 14th being the day when he will conduct his listening session at the Egg Harbor Town Hall and Kewaunee Public Library. State Rep. Joel Kitchens is currently finalizing dates for his listening sessions.

Students from Kewaunee, Algoma, and Luxemburg-Casco high schools will have the opportunity to explore future jobs next month at the Career Fair and Hiring Event held in Kewaunee.

The fair will unite students and employers so businesses can spotlight their industry and help high schoolers find Youth Apprenticeship opportunities and full-time employment after graduation.

The Career Fair and Hiring Event will be held at Kewaunee High School on Thursday, April 3, from 8 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Students will arrive prepared with resumes, ready to discuss their skills and potential fit with companies represented at the fair.

Northeast Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship Consortium Director David Gordon says the goal is to help students find their future careers.  

Local businesses and industries can have a booth at the event by contacting the Northeast Wisconsin Youth Apprenticeship program at newyainfo@cesa7.org by March 17.  

With most of the snow gone from the fields in the area, local farmers are turning their attention to the planting season later this spring.  Jim Wautier of Church-Site Farms in Brussels says the recent melting of snow and precipitation should not impact the winter crops as long as we don’t get a lot of freezing and thawing weather.  He expects the frost to come out of the ground fairly quickly, with high temperatures forecast in the mid-40s next week with little precipitation.  The focus is for farmers to get their machinery in working order and ready to go when planting starts next month.

Wautier adds that if the fields dry up in time, corn will be planted by the end of April, followed shortly after by soybeans. He says last year’s wet spring forced many farmers to delay their planting much later in the spring than usual, but crops rebounded in late summer for a successful harvest.  

You can listen to six prominent local women share their stories of inspiration at the Women’s Fund of Door County's 12th annual Tales of Our Lives, next month.

This year’s storytellers will feature Allyson Fleck of Midsummer’s Music, Beth Hudak from House of Hope, Jodi Rose Gonzales of Artist and Art Therapist, Lisa Harper from the Peninsula Music Festival, melaniejane of the Holiday Music Motel, and Mona Christensen from the Birch Creek Music Performance Center.   Each woman with take the stage accompanied by Cathy Grier’s music and tell their own inspiring story.   

Event co-chair Markie Bscherer says the evening on April 12th at Northern  Sky Theater will be special as each storyteller shares their experiences and life lessons learned.

The Tales of Our Lives will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Northern Sky Theater’s Gould Theater.  Tickets can be purchased from the Northern Sky Theater’s Box Office starting on Monday, March 10.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Women’s Fund, which has distributed more than $1 million in grants supporting over 100 programs throughout the peninsula.  

(photo of Womens Fund Annual Luncheon in 2024)

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, and folks around County Door are celebrating this coming weekend!

At Crossroads at Big Creek, we’ve tailored our programs to align with St. Patrick’s Day and the seasonal phenomenon known as the “spring green-up.”

Our Science Saturday family program on March 15 (starting at 2:00 ) will feature an outdoor excursion (weather permitting) titled “In Search of Green.” On March 17, our Monday 1:30 adult program is a lecture called “Nature and St. Patrick.” On Tuesday, March 18, the 3;30 Environmental Exploration after-school program will be a “Seep Seek,” during which participants will search for locations where groundwater seeps into Big Creek by, as you might have guessed, looking for early signs of green along the banks.

“Green-up” refers to the period when plants break dormancy and resume growth. Scientific studies indicate that this typically occurs in early to mid-April in our region, although an early warm spell in March can accelerate the process.

Thanks to the moderating effect of Lake Michigan, our narrow peninsula may experience green-up earlier than the surrounding region. Even within our three Crossroads preserves, we observe localized microclimates, meaning that in sheltered, sunny areas, we may spot green around St. Patrick’s Day—or just as likely, we could experience a late-winter blizzard.

Green is associated with luck, renewal, and prosperity, and in Ireland, it is the color used to honor St. Patrick, the country’s patron saint. According to folklore, wearing green on March 17 makes you invisible to leprechauns—so they won’t pinch you!

However, that’s just one of the many myths surrounding St. Patrick.

One of the most well-known legends claims that the good saint drove the snakes from Ireland. While he didn’t, Ireland has no native snake species. It's because of the glaciers!

Ireland, like Door County, was covered by massive glacial ice for thousands of years during the last Ice Age. However, when the glaciers began to retreat approximately 10,000 years ago, Door County remained connected to the mainland, gradually allowing snakes to repopulate the area.

In contrast, as Europe’s ice sheets melted, rising sea levels isolated Ireland from the rest of the continent. This geographic separation prevented snakes from recolonizing the island, and to this day, no native snake species exist.

For the same reason (rising sea levels, not St. Patrick), Ireland has only one native species of frog and one native species of toad. The lecture will also cover shamrocks and other related topics.

The Junior Nature Club meets every Wednesday at 3:00 PM. Designed for children aged 3 to 5 and their accompanying adults, the program can accommodate siblings, and most sessions will take place outdoors as weather permits. This week, the group will be "Looking for Logs."

Saturday, March 15
2:00 PM – Science Saturday: In Search of Green
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, at 2:00, participants will venture into the forest in search of the first signs of spring. (Indoor programs will be offered in the lab if the weather does not cooperate.) It is geared toward elementary students, but learners of all ages are welcome. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Free and open to the public.

Monday, March 17
1:30 PM – Lecture: Nature and St. Patrick
Did St. Patrick drive the frogs and snakes from Ireland? What is a shamrock really? This lecture will discuss the legends and the science behind this Irish-American holiday. The lecture will last about an hour. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration is not required.

Tuesday, March 18
3:30 PM – Environmental Exploration: Seep Seek

Families are joining us outside for this afterschool program to learn about and search for the places where groundwater enters Big Creek. Free and open to all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center.

6:30 Door County Beekeeper Meeting

The community is invited to attend the monthly meeting of the Door County Beekeepers Club. The program  "Preparing For Bees" and will cover equipment and techniques. Free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, March 19                                                            

1:30 Wandering Wednesday                                                

Join a naturalist on a guided hike through Crossroads. About an hour. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center

3:00 pm Junior Nature Club

"Looking for Logs" is the topic for this week's Junior Nature Club, a free, weekly program for preschool-aged children (ages three and up). Parents or guardians are expected to remain with the group throughout each class. Siblings and family members are welcome to participate. The class meets rain or shine. Come dressed for outdoor exploration. If the weather is too bad to be outdoors, we will do nature-related activities inside. Registration is not required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

As I write this article, we are experiencing a significant spring melt, even though it is not officially spring. Just a few days ago, we were in the grips of an arctic vortex. Welcome to March in Wisconsin! As the old saying goes, if you don’t like the weather, wait a few hours; it will change. There are times throughout the month of March when we get to experience more than one season in 24 hours. With this volatility in mind, I share the following considerations.

As cold gives way to warmth, fog will be a common occurrence in our daily lives, and bring with it the potential for hazardous driving conditions. Many of the same safety tips apply, such as leaving additional distance between your vehicle and one in front of you. Due to the instant onset of limited visibility due to fog, what may seem reasonable can become following too closely in a very short distance. Just as you would not over-drive your headlights in night driving, you should also reduce your speed when you observe that visibility has deteriorated due to fog. When approaching an intersection, especially in rural areas, it may not be a bad idea to roll down your window as you may hear approaching traffic you may not otherwise see. A final tip regarding driving in foggy conditions is always to ensure your headlamps are lit. While most new vehicles are equipped with automatic activating headlamps at dusk, sometimes the fog is not enough to activate them, and you may have to go to old school and physically turn them on. (Don’t forget to turn them off)

The other hazard of spring can be the rapid melting we are currently experiencing. This can create conditions where standing water may be on a road surface. If not detected, this can create the potential for hydroplaning and the inability to control your vehicle. As with the issue of visibility, being aware of the changing conditions on the road surface and reducing your speed will reduce the risk of finding yourself in a very dangerous situation.

A final word of caution is that with the fluctuating temperatures, the same roads and surfaces that were covered in standing water just a few miles ago could very quickly transition to being ice-covered. Maintain an awareness of those changing conditions and their effects on our road surfaces.

It won’t be long before we can enjoy the amazing spring weather that will inevitably arrive. Although our current weather pattern may not be optimal, it gives us a greater appreciation for those warmer days ahead!

High school seniors in Door County can get a jump start on financing their future education at a technical college with help from the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay. Applications for the Rotary Technical Education/Robert Muckian Scholarship are being considered now for the 18th year. The scholarships range from $500 to $1,500 and are funded through the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay Charitable Trust and an endowment from the estate of Rotarian Robert Muckian. Applications require a brief essay on "Service Above Self," Rotary International's motto.

The scholarship application deadline is this weekend. Awards will be presented at the Rotary luncheon in May. The Sturgeon Bay Rotary Club also offers "Service Above Self" academic scholarships for seniors seeking four-year education. The complete scholarship information is available at the Door County Scholarship Network website.

Rep. Joel Kitchens would like more consistency when it comes to how the law treats sex traffickers and the lives of the people they are impacting. The Sturgeon Bay Republican legislator reintroduced his Safe Harbor bill last month, which would prevent children who are trafficked from being charged with prostitution. On average, children are only 13 years old when they are trafficked for the first time, and under current law, a child under the age of 18 cannot legally consent to sex. Despite this, kids can be prosecuted for prostitution, something sex traffickers can use against them when they are threatened with being reported to the police. Kitchens believes many people think sex trafficking is a big city problem and are not aware that the state has reported cases in all 72 counties. He says it is time to treat the kids who are being sex trafficked as victims and not criminals.

State Senator Andre Jacque released his own sex trafficking-related bill earlier this year that would impose a mandatory $5,000 surcharge on individuals convicted of patronizing and soliciting prostitutes or keeping a place of prostitution. Last month, the Brown County Board approved $20,000 to support Awaken Wisconsin’s efforts to fight possible human trafficking concerns at the NFL Draft.

While it is not a replacement for receiving help from a licensed counselor,  the starting point for getting the mental health you need is just a few clicks of your mouse away.

The Door County Public Health Department’s CredibleMind platform celebrated its first anniversary earlier this month, helping dozens of residents in that time. The free service aggregates videos, podcasts, apps, online programs, books, articles, and local resources to give people a better understanding of their mental health in one place. One in five people in the United States suffers from some mental health illness, but the ratio of people who can assist is daunting. The state is ranked 34th in the nation when it comes to the ratio of residents to mental health professionals (420:1). It is even worse in Door County, where there is one mental health professional for every 710 residents. Public Health Strategist Shauna Blackledge says the CredibleMind platform has been received exceptionally well for people who need help but cannot get an appointment.

Over 2,000 people have accessed CredibleMind Door County for support since the platform launched in 2024. The United Way of Door County’s STRIDE program has also been a way for area kids to access mental health resources who may have never been able to get them otherwise. You can click this link to visit the CredibleMind platform and take one of the several mental health-related assessments.

Cheese made in Kewaunee County once again ranks among the best in the country after the United States Championship Cheese Contest took place in Green Bay this week. Judges took two days to judge over 2000 entries covering dozens of varieties from the nation’s best cheesemakers. Nine of the top 20 cheeses hailed from Wisconsin. Farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties that produce milk for BelGioioso have some bragging rights as the Denmark, Wis. cheesemaker’s marinated fresh mozzarella with basil and garlic was one of the finalists before an aged gouda called “Arethusa Europa” from Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut won the top prize by one-hundredth of a point (98.89 to 98.88).

Closer to home, Agropur’s Luxemburg facility took him four medals in two separate categories. Jeremy Robinson and Team Luxemburg took second and third place in the smoked provolone category while Robinson and Pat Doell took second and third place in the reduced sodium cheeses category.

You can find the full results from this year’s U.S. Championship Cheese Contest here. The event alternates years with the World Championship Cheese Contest, so the next U.S. Championship Cheese Contest will take place in 2027.

Picture from U.S. Championship Cheese Contest

Depending on what happens in Congress in the coming months, this Sunday’s annual rite of spring could be done for the last time.

Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m., when the clocks will officially move up one hour. Whether you must change those clocks again in November is up to Congress. According to the USA TODAY, legislation has stalled in Washington D.C. repeatedly since 2018. The closest it has gotten was in 2022 when the U.S. Senate unanimously approved it, but it was never approved by the House or President Joe Biden. U.S. Senator Rick Scott and U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan introduced bills to make daylight saving time permanent in their respective chambers. Still, no progress has been made since they were referred to the committee in January. 

Some groups support abolishing daylight saving time and making standard time permanent, forfeiting the additional light for outdoor activities after work and school for a more natural biological circadian rhythm.

Either way, switching the clocks back and forth has been used by homeowners as a reminder to check the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, change furnace filters, and adjust ceiling fan directions.  

The City of Algoma is looking forward to expanding more housing and business development after finalizing the new Tax Incremental District (TID) #5 this week.

After the Algoma Common Council approved a resolution on Monday, the Joint Review Board approved the new TID #5 Creation Boundary and Project Plan on Wednesday based on the Plan Commission recommendation.  Algoma City Treasurer Jamie Jackson says the new TID is a zoned mixed-use development, meaning it can be financially supportive for residential, commercial, and industrial plans.

Jackson notes that the primary plan for the 31-acre site located in the south-central part of the city at the corner of Fremont Street and Sunset Avenue is for housing. The city is working with a developer to build 56 single-family housing units and condos on that site.      

Jackson says hopes are for the initial housing development to begin in late March with infrastructure work supported by TID funds.  She adds that TID #1 and TID #2 are nearing completion with TID #3 performing well.  TID #4 includes the current housing project being constructed across from Denny’s Super Valu on 5th Street. 

Although a similar outbreak in our area is unlikely, Door County Medical Center Infection Prevention Nurse Rachael Jandrin hopes a recent measles outbreak in Texas will encourage you to get vaccinated for the contagious disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, there have been 164 total cases of measles in the United States, over 80 percent of which are under the age of 19. Twenty percent of those cases have resulted in hospitalizations, including one death. The outbreak in Texas, which has impacted 159 individuals, is centered around a Mennonite community where the vaccination rate is about 50 percent. Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services data shows that measles (MMR) vaccination coverage among Door County children by two years old is about 85 percent, the fifth lowest since 2013. In Kewaunee County, that number dips to about 82 percent. Statewide, DHS estimates that 84.8 percent of kindergartners have received both doses of the MMR vaccine, which is ranked 48th in the Union.

Jandrin says the goal for a community is approximately 95 percent, which would help protect people who cannot be vaccinated. She believes there are several reasons why the vaccination rate has dipped in recent years, some of them stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jandrin adds that measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world, thanks in part to its ability to remain airborne for up to two hours and for one infected person to be able to affect nine out of ten unvaccinated people. Measles can cause pneumonia and encephalitis, and one in five can become hospitalized. She encourages families to stay up to date on their vaccines.

You may see Sturgeon Bay as you have never seen it before by simply turning on your TV or tablet beginning tonight.  Sturgeon Bay is the featured community on the newest episode of “John McGivern’s Main Streets,” the weekly program where the actor and comedian travels the Midwest to highlight interesting places. Sturgeon Bay is the second Door County community to be highlighted on the show after Sister Bay was showcased in its first season. In the trailer, McGivern checks out a fish boil, tours the shipyard, and stops by a few shops. Destination Sturgeon Bay Executive Director Cameryn Ehlers-Kwaterski was among those who got a sneak peek at the episode last week and says it was great to see the city shown in such a positive light.

If you miss the episode’s premiere on Thursday at 7 p.m., do not fret. It will also be available on demand on the PBS app and the PBS Wisconsin website. The episode airs on the heels of the city’s cameo in the movie “Green and Gold,” which can still be found in select theaters this week, including Sturgeon Bay.

Picture courtesy of Destination Sturgeon Bay

Celebrations and critiques of President Donald Trump’s joint session address on Tuesday fell along party lines as Democrats and Republicans spar over the country's current direction.

President Trump addressed members of Congress and other esteemed guests for approximately 100 minutes, making it the longest such speech to a joint session of the House and the Senate in American history, according to the Associated Press. He highlighted the accomplishments his administration has made in the six-plus weeks he has been in office and requested additional funding for deportations and major tax cuts. U.S. Rep. Tony Wied, who represents Door and Kewaunee counties in the U.S. House,  tweeted his support for the President’s talking points throughout the address, showcasing a 94 percent drop in illegal crossings, legislation banning transgender individuals in women’s sports, and efforts to “root out, waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Senator Tammy Baldwin was not as complimentary in her post-address statement, saying that President Trump “did nothing to ease their very real fears about children and seniors having their Medicaid ripped away, veterans losing their jobs, and costs skyrocketing from a trade war.”

On Wednesday, the Democratic senator did express support for President Trump’s wish to create more opportunities for American shipbuilders. “I’ve always said I’d work with anyone to deliver for Wisconsinites – so, Mr. President, let’s get to work. The first step is cracking down on China for cheating and holding them accountable – like I have long fought for – so we level the playing field for workers and support Made in America shipbuilding.”

Polls from CNN and CBS showed that approximately seven in ten speech-watchers had at least a somewhat positive outlook at the address.

On Wednesday, the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s High School Job Fair in Sturgeon Bay gave you a peek at the employment opportunities available in the area.

The four-hour event connected over 300 local students with 35 businesses and organizations for youth apprenticeship opportunities, part-time employment, and summer jobs. DCEDC Executive Director Michelle Lawrie says all types of industries were represented at the job fair, including hospitality, engineering, construction, and financial services.

Nicolet National Bank Branch Manager Paula Englebert says that as an employer, banks are looking for job candidates with excellent customer service and personal interaction skills. 

Sturgeon Bay, Southern Door, Sevastopol, and Algoma high schools all attended the job fair held at Stone Harbor Resort and Conference Center.

A celebration dinner that dates back over 90 years returns Saturday in Sturgeon Bay.  Once considered a “bon voyage” to the fishermen on steamboats that headed out on the Great Lakes, the Steamboat Dinner will be hosted by the H.S. Barid Masonic Lodge.  The annual Steamboat Dinner has evolved over the years and has donated and delivered over 13,000 meals to those in need over the past 33 years.  Freemason member and Chef Geoff Pinney says the work to provide the traditional meals starts well in advance of Saturday’s distribution of meals.  He notes that this year, with the help of community partners and over 70 volunteers, 1250  families in Door, Kewaunee, and Brown counties will receive meals.

Pinney adds that proceeds from the Steamboat Dinner support community charity and outreach, including donating fire suppression tools to local fire and police departments.    

Although the Masonic Lodge's dining room has been closed for public dinners since 2020, remaining unsold tickets are available for curbside pickup of the prepackaged meals from 3:00 p.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday.

You can listen to the podcast interview with Geoff Pinney here.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council met Tuesday evening and approved contract work for road projects slated in the city this year.  A contract with Northeast Asphalt was approved for $1,185,481.41 to repave streets in the city.   Mayor David Ward says another contract with Sommers Construction of $428,067.12 for concrete work throughout the city, including a complete reconstruction of Delaware Street from North 3rd Avenue to North 6th Avenue.  The work will cover three miles of city streets.   

The consideration for awarding the contract with Vinton Construction Company was approved for $319,052.01, which will hook up the Ahnapee Trail from the east side of the Bay View Bridge to the west side approach with a trail and boardwalk under the bridge and Highway 42-57 on its south side approach.  Mayor Ward says the accepted bid of the three submitted came under the estimated cost.

Other actions taken on Tuesday by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council were approval of the Harbor Commission's plans for improvements this year and a one-time payment in lieu of providing 12 parking spaces for Cherry Lanes on North 4th Avenue, which is working on an affordable housing project.  

You can begin to schedule your children’s summer camp activities starting next week at the Door County YMCA.   Youth and Sports Program Executive Paul Briney says the camp experience offers a safe and nurturing environment with activities to help kids learn and master skills while developing bonds with their peers.  He shares details of the half-day Otumba Camp in the Park in Sturgeon Bay and the full-day Trekkers Camp at the Kane Center in Fish Creek.

School-Age Director Ashley Bagneski says the new Kress Youth Activity Center in the Sturgeon Bay Program Center will be the setting for a full-day camp based on countries worldwide.

Registration begins next Monday, March 10, for members and Wednesday, March 12, for the general public.  You can listen to the entire interview with Paul Briney and Ashley Bagneski on the Y Wednesday podcast here. 

While firefighters were able to save some of the animals, others were lost in a fire Tuesday evening that destroyed a barn in Brussels. Firefighters began arriving at the property on Star Road before 5 p.m., where they found the west side of the barn fully engulfed. Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Chief Curt Vandertie said the fire spread quickly through the 100-foot-long structure, prompting him to activate the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, which summoned firefighters from as far away as Sister Bay/Liberty Grove to the north and Carlton to the south. Firefighters spoke to the property owners to form a plan to rescue as many animals as possible. Vandertie says four pigs, three piglets, and about 30 chickens were able to be saved, but several other pigs and goats still perished in the fire. It took about 30 to 40 minutes for firefighters to knock down most of the blaze, relying on an excavator to tear off the barn's metal roof to increase their access to the flames. The fire remains under investigation, but Vandertie says the fire's origin is near where two heat lamps were set up to keep some of the farm's young animals warm. The property owner was treated by medical staff after helping save some of his animals by entering the building. In addition to the barn being lost, the home suffered heat damage to its vinyl siding due to the heat of the fire and its proximity to the structure. Firefighters were able to leave the scene at approximately 9 p.m.

You can expect a slippery drive home Wednesday evening as the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for all of Northeastern Wisconsin, including Door and Kewaunee Counties.  A mixed precipitation of rain changing over to snow is expected this afternoon as the advisory is from noon until 9 p.m.  Total accumulations will be between an inch or two along the lakeshore, and gusty winds as high as 45 miles per hour from early afternoon until this evening.  The snow and windy conditions will cause blowing and drifting of snow ,and drivers should be prepared for reduced visibility with brief whiteout conditions.  Temperatures are expected to drop into the twenties this afternoon, causing the freezing up of melted snow or water to result in icy conditions.

Many local ministers from area churches will begin the Lenten season this Wednesday with a message of sacrifice and salvation.  Abstaining from a vice or favorite food is a way many Christians mark the Lenten season, which begins with Ash Wednesday. According to recent statistics, the most common things people give up for Lent include sweets or desserts (24%), soda (20%), fast food or dining out (20%), and alcohol (17%).  Sixty-one percent of Roman Catholics are likely to observe Lent.  One requirement for Catholics age 14 and older is to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and all Fridays during Lent to commemorate Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on Good Friday.  Fr. Matthew Rappl, pastor of St. Joseph's and St. Peter & Paul parishes in Sturgeon Bay, says lent is a beautiful preparation for the later celebration of the mysteries of the faith.

Local churches will mark the beginning of Lent with Ash Wednesday services throughout the day Wednesday, March 5th.   The 40-day season ends on Easter Sunday, which will take place on April 20 this year.   

Photo credit:  Brian May, U.S. Navy. License: public domain.

It may be awhile since you last heard them perform, but the bows of the Griffin String Quartet have remained up. Known for the music they play at unique locations across Door County and Greater Green Bay, violinists Roy Meyer and Alex Norris, violist Oryann Tsaig, and cellist Jesse Nummelin are also in the classroom trying to support the next generation of stringed musicians. For many of the students, the Griffon String Quartet may be their only exposure to stringed instruments with no orchestra programs in Door and Kewaunee counties and limited options in the Green Bay area. In addition to its programming at the Boys and Girls Club in Sturgeon Bay, the Griffon String Quartet also offers private lessons to students. Many of those students were able to qualify for the state solo and ensemble concert, an accomplishment Meyer feels is on par with when the quartet has its own strong performance.

The Griffon String Quartet will perform three concerts this weekend: at 5:00 p.m. on March 7th, at Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay, 3:00 p.m. on March 8th, at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Green Bay,  and at 3:00 p.m. on March 9th, at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor. They will perform the works of Franz Joseph Hadyn, Germaine Tailleferre, and Erwin Schulhoff.  They also have four Gather with the Griffon performances scheduled between Match 20th and May 15th.

Hear more about the performances coming up this week:

You will have the opportunity to experience some maritime history later this summer as the Tall Ships will be returning to Sturgeon Bay.   The event will bring a handful of schooners and vessels to dock along the channel in Sturgeon Bay for ship tours and photo opportunities.  Destination Sturgeon Bay Executive Director Camryn Ehlers-Kwaterski says the organization is excited to welcome the Tall Ships back after a six-year hiatus.  She says the event is part of Tall Ships America travels and will feature the “Liberty Clipper,” “Pride of Baltimore II,” and “When and If,” as well as the Great Lakes schooner “Utopia” which was designed by Fred J. Peterson of Peterson Builders, Inc. in Sturgeon Bay.

Ehlers says the Tall Ships appearance in Sturgeon Bay will coincide with the Door County Maritime Museum’s Classic & Wooden Boat Show from August 1 through August 3, with the Tall Ships arriving on Thursday, July 31.  Ticket purchases for experiencing a sail away with the Tall Ships will be available in late or early May, according to Ehlers-Kwaterski.  You can find out more information on the Tall Ships 2025 visit to Sturgeon Bay at the Destination Sturgeon Bay website.

Among the candles they have sold to support causes such as childhood cancer, food insecurity, and disaster relief, one candle still shines the brightest for Door County Candle Company owners Nic and Christiana Trapani. It was three years ago that the business launched its Ukraine candle in the wake of Russia’s invasion of the country just days before. National notoriety soon followed, as did the over million dollars it raised to support Razom for Ukraine over the past three years. The relationship with the organization grew to provide more than 10,500 small tin candles for Ukrainians without electricity. As a Ukranian-American, Christiana says the Ukraine candle will always be a special one for them to support, and they have no intention of stopping.

Nic and Christiana say the support has grown to their other candles, creating change stateside, including many local causes like Feeding America of Eastern Wisconsin, the Dillon Family Foundation, and the MACC (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer).

The Trapanis say their candles have raised thousands of dollars for other causes of national interest, such as the wildfires in California and Hawaii and the states impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

Northern Sky Theater took another step toward future sustainability after the Door County Board of Supervisors voted last week 12-5, with four absent to support an Assembly bill granting them a property tax exemption. According to the resolution, property owned by a non-profit organization operating a theater is exempt from general property taxes if the property includes buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places or reaches specific capacity requirements. Other theaters, such as the Milwaukee Repertory Theater and Peninsula Players, have become property tax-exempt. Managing Director Holly Feldman addressed the board during the open comment period, explaining how they currently pay property taxes on their 40-acre creative campus and pay royalties and sales taxes on their performances. Feldman added how she feels Northern Sky Theater positively impacts the community.

A similar resolution was supported by the Town of Gibraltar 3-2, which is where Northern Sky Theater is located. Several supervisors like Vinni Chomeau and Ryan Shaw voiced their support for the measure, saying it was essential to support the arts in Door County. Supervisors Joel Gunnlauggson, Roy Englebert, David Enigl, and Elizabeth Gauger raised the snowball effect their support could send to similar entities locally and across the state. Englebert, Enigl, and Gauger joined Ken Fisher and Walter Kalms in voting against the resolution. 

Watch the meeting below:

The Lenten season begins Wednesday, but many local bakeries have been preparing for "Fat Tuesday,” March 4th, for over a week.   The food tradition comes from the carnival celebration associated with Mardi Gras.  A Polish donut called paczki (pronounced PAUNCH-KEE) is a popular indulgence before Lent.  Alex Stodola from Stodola IGA in Luxemburg says the paczki tradition in the area has grown over the years.

Stodola adds that the jellied-filled pastries have created more excitement than ever in-store. Paczkis are made from dough containing eggs, fats, sugar, yeast, and milk, featuring fruit and cream fillings. Fat Tuesday always falls on the 47th day before Easter, which is April 20th this year.

With every great farm, you see more and more women helping them grow. According to a recent study by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, women make up approximately 30 percent of the United States agricultural workforce, whether on the farm as owners and managers or off it as agronomists and veterinarians. In many cases, UW Madison Extension Regional Dairy Educator Aerica Bjurstom says women’s duties on the farm are in addition to a full-time job away from it. Because of this, Bjurstrom adds that they often need extra support to toggle all the different tasks they are charged with throughout the year.

The UW Madison Extension will focus on women in agriculture as a part of its VITAL (Valuably Informed Thriving, Agriculture Leader) program this Friday at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Manitowoc. 

A tradition that goes back over 50 years continued this past Sunday when the Southern Door fifth-grade class performed at the 71st Annual CP Telethon in Green Bay. Over 50 students performed two songs on stage and television before presenting a check for $17,008 to the Cerebral Palsy Center. Fifth-grade teachers at Southern Door Elementary School Bridget Spude, Nicole VandenBush, and Jamie Raynier say the individual efforts started months ago, and the hard work by the students every year is always appreciated, as is the community support. 

The Southern Door Fifth grade class has raised as much as $50,000 in past years. Sunday's 2024 CP telethon raised over $1.25 million for the Cerebral Palsy Center.  

(photo courtesy of Southern Door School District)

An 84-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman had to be transported to Door County Medical Center after she was ejected from her vehicle and her leg partially run over on Saturday. The accident occurred near the intersection of Michigan Street and 2nd Avenue before 10 a.m. on Saturday. According to the accident report, the woman was in the parking lot of a nearby gas station when her minivan rolled backward down the driveway and into a nearby utility pole.  Emergency personnel found the woman outside of her vehicle with her door open, resting on the pole, and a portion of her front driver’s side tire resting on her leg. The Sturgeon Bay Fire Department was able to jack the car up high enough to remove the woman so she could get treatment. While the woman believed she had parked the car, firefighters reported that the car had been found in reverse. The minivan was stopped thanks to the open car door striking the utility pole, though that is also when the woman fell out of the vehicle trying to get out at the gas station. The car was towed from the scene, and no citations were given. 

The process of filling up your maple syrup bottles began this week as many producers headed out into the woods to collect sap from their trees. At the beginning of March, most maple syrup producers start tapping trees and either hang buckets or bags to collect sap or use a tubing system to speed up the process. The combination of cold nights and warmer days usually speeds up the process. In Door and Kewaunee counties, forecasts went from cold weather warnings and more than a foot of snow to temperatures in the mid-40s to low 50s, prompting maple syrup producers like Casco’s Bill Roethle to act fast.

After tapping approximately a week ago, Roethle says he has collected well over 500 gallons of sap, which can produce about 10 gallons of maple syrup. Like the apples and pumpkins he produces in the fall, Roethle says harvesting the sap is the most rewarding part of the experience. Wisconsin maple syrup producers made 458,000 gallons of syrup in 2024, which is good for fourth in the nation.

Connecting you with area communities via multi-modal trails continues to gather steam as officials prepare to attend the International Trails Summit in Madison in April. Door County Trails, the citizen-led nonprofit coordinating efforts, received a grant this month from the Door County Community Foundation to attend the event, bringing experts worldwide to discuss trail development, funding strategies, and long-term sustainability. What started as a way to connect Egg Harbor with Fish Creek in the fall of 2023 has grown to encompass the entire county. Last summer, officials from the National Park Service, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation came to the area to discuss the strategies and challenges of the project. Door County Parks Manager and Door County Trails Board Member Tim Kazmierczak says the county has been looking at a similar project for over a decade. He is thrilled that the community and officials at all levels of government are buying into the prospect of what the trail system could mean for the area.

Kazmierczak likes the momentum the project is gaining but still reminds residents and visitors that the system will not be created overnight as stakeholders pursue property purchases and easements to make the trail a reality. The International Trails Summit will take place April 15th-17th.

With March being National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month, a local support group is reaching out to make a difference.  The Door County MS Alliance provides opportunities for people living with MS to connect with others in the community by sharing their stories.  Peer Leader Dave Mailand of Sturgeon Bay says the organization is a resource for family, friends, and others who may suffer from the rare debilitating disease.  The Door County MS Alliance is officially registered with the National MS Society, which holds one of its three national MS fall walks in Door County every year.  Mailand notes that the goal is to bring awareness of a disease that is not well understood and affects about one million people in the United States.  

Mailand says the organization can become important for those living with MS because of the overwhelming feeling the disease can have from a health, financial, and emotional standpoint. The Door County MS Alliance meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. at the Door County Community Foundation and is also available on Zoom. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system). You can listen to the entire conversation with Dave Mailand on the podcast page here. 

People are encouraged to wear orange during the week of March 9-15 during National MS Awareness Month.

Is it the lengthening of hours of daylight? Intermittent thaws? Or maybe some human survival instinct dating back to agrarian ancestors? This week,  long before the soil is warm enough for things to grow, we at Crossroads at Big Creek and our partner organizations are almost twitching with anticipation for the upcoming growing season. Consequently, nearly all of our programs relate in some way to planting.

Join us for the Crossroads Volunteer Mixer on Friday, March 7, at 5:00; returning volunteers and those considering getting involved can learn how to become a Crossroads Habitat Healer and/or participate in other volunteer efforts. Saturday morning, people who want to join in the restoration efforts at our Ida Bay preserve will get a preview of the opportunities that await (if the weather cooperates! Keep an eye on the website ticker for last-minute cancelations).

The Door County Master Gardner Association's “Growing Together Series” will feature a pre-recorded webinar called “Designing Native Plant Gardens for Pollinators” on Monday at 1:30. Then, on Tuesday, March 11, at 6:30, Wild Ones-Door Peninsula and Master Gardeners will co-sponsor the lecture "Life of Death of a Tree in 30 Minutes" featuring Tom Wolfe. 

Our projects will get underway when the time is right, but in nature, how do seeds detect when the time is right to start growing? Premature germination would be absolutely disastrous—fatal, in fact. Fortunately, seeds have a number of incredible adaptations to prevent this from happening.

The seed coat itself is perhaps the best protection for a dormant seed. Coated with a waxy or varnish-like material, seeds are waterproof. But how does water reach the embryo plant if the seed coat is impermeable? 

If the seed is on the ground during the winter, soil microbes slowly work on the seed coat until, by spring, the covering ruptures. Also, and this started last week, the physical abrasion caused by the repeated freezing and thawing of the soil can crack the seed coat, allowing water to enter.

Another factor is light. A certain amount of light can permeate the porous topsoil, and germination occurs only when the correct amount of light, in combination with the right amount of moisture and the correct soil temperatures, is present.  

Many of the seeds produced in the temperate zone are genetically programmed not to germinate until they have undergone a period of cold---somewhere between four and six weeks, usually necessary. But around here, after four to six weeks of cold, it would take a prolonged warm spell to bring the soil temperature to a point that would allow sprouting.          

It’s not the growing season YET, but it is the exact time to begin preparations for planting and nurturing the young.

Speaking of nurturing the young, the Spring Session of the Junior Nature Club begins Wednesday, March 12. This free, six-week series is aimed at connecting pre-school-aged children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world. Through storytelling, games, activities, and unstructured play in nature, the Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement and nature curiosity in children and their parents or guardians. Each meeting begins with the Junior Nature Club Pledge.

"I promise to be a friend of nature,

of the soil and the water,

of the plants and the animals,

for as long as I live."

If that sounds familiar, reflect on the words of Aldo Leopold:  "The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the community to include soils, waters, plants, and animals, or collectively: the land."

Wednesday, March 5                                                                                          

 1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. It's easy walking and will take about an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay. Dress for the weather. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Friday, March 7                                                                                                                                5:00 p.m. Volunteer Mixer

Interested in finding out more about volunteer opportunities at Crossroads at Big Creek? Whether you are simply curious or a seasoned volunteer, join us to find out what’s coming up. This casual event is a great chance to learn about volunteering at Crossroads and meet other people who care about stewardship of the environment. Registration not required. 5:30 the discussion starts about all the amazing volunteer opportunities Crossroads has to offer. Meet at the upper level of the Collins Learning Center. 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin 

Saturday, March 8

9:00 Habitat Healers: Floral Index and Ida Site Prep

Help heal the earth! Volunteers of all ages are invited to help with our land restoration efforts, including the Pre-burn Biotic Index Survey. Help identify or learn how to identify plants. Plan to be outside and off the trail. Dress for the weather. Meet in the Ida Bay Preserve parking lot, 1195 Canal Road.

2:00 Saturday Science: Fossils of Door County 

Beginning at 2:00, participants will learn how the fossils of Door County were formed and the basics of fossil identification. There will be edible demonstrations, so let us know if children have dietary restrictions. Each family will receive a free fossil pamphlet. If weather permits, we will venture outdoors to look for fossils. Geared for elementary students, learners of all ages are welcome.

Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Monday, March 10

1:30 Master Gardener Growing Together Webinar Series:  "Designing A Native Plant Garden for Pollinators"

You can design a native plant garden that will be a pollinator magnet. Native plants are beautiful, low-maintenance, adaptable, and great sources of nutrition and habitat for butterflies, bees, moths, hummingbirds, and more! In this pre-recorded webinar, we will learn about design principles and some native plants that are great to grow for pollinators and can thrive in sunny or shady conditions. Free and open to the public. Brought to you by the Door County Master Gardner Association. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, March 11

6:30 Wild Ones, Master Gardner Lecture: "Life of Death of a Tree in 30 Minutes"

Horticulturist Tom Wolfe will describe the proper planting of conifer and deciduous trees. He also will explain woody plant physiology, botany, and soil and will focus on Door County trees and shrubs. Co-sponsored by Wild Ones and Master Gardeners. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, March 12

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. It's easy walking and will take about an hour. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay. Dress for the weather. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

3:00 Junior Nature Club

Junior Nature Club is a free, six-week series connecting pre-school children (ages three and up) and their families to the natural world. Through storytelling, games, activities, and unstructured play in nature, the Junior Nature Club promotes physical well-being, social engagement, and curiosity about nature in children and their parents or guardians. Parents or guardians are expected to remain with the group throughout each class. Siblings and family members are welcome to participate.  Come dressed for outdoor exploration. If the weather is too bad to be outdoors, we will do nature-related activities inside. Registration is not required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay 

With Door and Kewaunee County farmers looking forward to another planting season later this spring, dairy operators are focusing on keeping their cows and calves on healthy diets through the final weeks of winter.  Rich Olson of Olson Family Farm in southern Door County says the care given during winter varies slightly from other seasons.  He says the air ventilation in the barn is vital to eliminate respiratory problems with his animals this time of year. 

During extreme cold, Olson adds that calves are fitted with calf jackets that help to maintain their body heat, especially the first two months after birth.  He says the recent milder-than-normal temperatures have area farmers looking towards this spring and, hopefully, an early planting season. 

There are ways to protect yourself from becoming a scam victim from sellers posing as car dealers online.  The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has noted that there has been a troubling increase in reported scams involving vehicle sellers posing as car dealers online.  The DMV describes the scam as an individual creating a website or social media profile with photos of vehicles and claiming to be a Wisconsin dealership.  The scammer then advertises the car at a market value below market value to create interest and conducts the transaction without having an in-person meeting.   The scammer stops all contact after receiving a wired transfer of the agreed purchase price from the victim.  Stefon Gerlei of Patriot Motors in Sturgeon Bay says legitimate dealers and consumers are subject to scams.  He notes that someone who uses a stolen identity with credit references buys a dealer's vehicle listed online, typically sending a 20 percent down payment.  After financing is done and the car is shipped, the scammer defaults on the loan, leaving the dealer/lender on the hook.

If you have been a victim of a scam involving a motor vehicle, you should file a complaint with WisDOT and consider filing a police report with your local law enforcement agency. Nine tips for keeping safe while buying a vehicle are listed below. 

·         Watch for numerous spelling or grammatical errors on the seller’s website or manipulated photos of a business or vehicle. This could tip you off to a cloned dealer site or unprofessional (and possibly unscrupulous) dealer.

·         Research the dealership ahead of time including verifying phone number, address, email and other contact information.

·         Review WisDOT’s active dealers list to verify licensed dealers, wisconsindmv.gov/dealerlist. The list includes motor vehicle dealers and motorcycle dealers who are properly licensed to sell. This list is updated daily and readily available to the public.

·         Review vehicle purchasing information on WisDOT’s website.

·         Visually inspect the vehicle before buying and inspect the required Wisconsin Buyer’s Guide.

·         Ensure the selling dealer uses a Motor Vehicle Purchase Contract as required by Wisconsin law.

·         Refrain from sending money by purchasing gift cards or other suspicious payment methods encouraged by the seller.

·         If you wish to make a wire transfer to the seller’s bank, independently verify the bank’s contact information. You may inform the bank you wish to verify the legitimacy of the seller before sending a wire transfer.

·         If something doesn’t feel right, walk away from the purchase.

An electrical fire at an Algoma business on Friday caused damage to upper apartment rooms on the second level.  The Algoma Fire Department was dispatched to Anchors Away Bar and Motel on Fourth Street around noon.  Algoma Fire Chief Tom Ackerman says the fire started through the arcing of where the electrical power came into the building on the second level.  Fire crews attacked and contained the fire while Algoma Utilities arrived and turned off the power.  No injuries were reported, and Ackerman says everyone was able to safely evacuate the building before his crew arrived at the scene. 

Anchors Away Bar and Motel owner Byron Broerman told Door County Daily News that the blaze damaged two apartments located on the backside of the building and was very thankful for the quick response by the Algoma Fire Department. The bar was not impacted by the fire but remains closed until power can be restored. Two tenants of the building will need to find housing for the time being.  

Ackerman says fire crews cleared the area after about two hours. Neighboring fire departments from Southern Door, Kewaunee, and Casco were on the scene, along with the Algoma Fire Department and the Algoma Police Department, which helped with traffic control since it was downtown.