The final state road construction slated for Door County this year will impact your commute between Algoma and Sturgeon Bay. Beginning on Monday (10/6), State Highway 42 will close near County Highway J to replace two existing deteriorated concrete box culverts.

According to the Door County Highway Department, the impacted culverts are located .78 miles south of the County Highway J intersection, and the other culvert is located .55 miles north of the  County Highway   J intersection. The highway will be closed entirely during the project so the crews can install new elliptical culverts. Motorists will follow County Line Road, Old Krueger Road, County Highway O, and County Highway H as a detour. It has been a busy year for road construction projects in Door County, with intersection improvements wrapping up in the southern portion of the county and culvert replacement taking place in the northern half. Wisconsin Department of Transportation Northeast Regional Spokesperson Mark Kantola applauds motorists for a safe year thus far.

Weather permitting, the culvert projects on State Highway 42 near Forestville and State Highway 57 near Baileys Harbor are expected to wrap up in November. 

Farmers in northeast Wisconsin have one eye on the present and the other on the future as the harvest season picks up the pace.

According to the USDA’s Crop Progress and Condition Report, Wisconsin farmers had over six days suitable for fieldwork last week, setting the stage for good harvest conditions for apples, corn silage, and remaining vegetables. As a result, the corn silage harvest is about 66 percent complete, the soybean harvest is six percent complete, and the corn for grain harvest is about four percent complete. The corn and soybean conditions are both rated at around 80 percent good to excellent, and another week of good weather should help farmers catch up to last year’s pace. As quickly as crops are coming off, some farmers are putting others back into the ground. The winter wheat crop is 43 percent seeded, which is a day off from last year’s progress.

In some fields, some farmers like Paul Cornette of Cornette Dairy in Luxemburg are planting cover crops to prepare for future harvests. In one field, Cornette is showcasing for Tuesday’s Peninsula Pride Farms Conservation Conversation, he is planting 10 different species of plants, which could yield sunflowers in the middle of fall. While he is not entirely sure what will grow and what will not in his cover crop mixture, he is confident that it will provide significant benefits to the soil.

The field, which is being transitioned from alfalfa to corn, is where the Peninsula Pride Farms Conservation Conversation will take place at 5 p.m. You can find more details below.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advises against bringing your own firewood when camping. While bringing your own wood or buying it somewhere other than the property you are staying at could save you some time and money, the tree-killing organisms that lurk on or inside the firewood may not be worth the bargain. For example, the Emerald Ash Borer was confirmed in all 72 counties by the DNR last year, and it is expected to kill 99 percent of the state’s ash trees when it is done. The Asian long-horned beetle, spongy moth, and other invasive insects and fungi have been tracked to do similar things if not contained. The DNR recommends that you “buy local, burn local” when it comes to firewood, purchasing it on-site during your camping trip. Likewise, the DNR also recommends not taking unused firewood home with you to prevent invasive insects and fungi from impacting your community. DNR Invasive Forest Insects Program Coordinator Mike Hillstrom reminds you that infected firewood can have an impact even during the winter months.

The one exception is if you purchase firewood that has been treatment-certified by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Consumer, and Trade Protection. With six approved locations in Door County, Hillstrom says treatment-certified firewood is usually either heat-treated or has been allowed to sit in the same spot for 48 months or more.

With another deadline looming, Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson hopes that his legislation will ensure you never have to worry about another government shutdown again. Without a deal, the government is set to shut down at midnight on October 1st as Democrats and Republicans point fingers at each other for who is to blame. 

Democrats like Wisconsin U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin say that they cannot support a continuing resolution that guts healthcare for millions of Americans. She said during a floor speech this week that she refuses “to just go along to get along” when her constituents are struggling.

Republicans say Democrats will be to blame if the government shuts down. Senate Majority Leader John Thune thinks they will not compromise on a short-term bill, but they would be willing to talk about a longer-term solution. Thurne told NBC’s Meet the Press that Democrats are holding the country hostage “to try and get a whole laundry list of things that they want that special interest groups on the far left are pushing them to accomplish.”

Johnson would like to see the string of government shutdown threats end permanently. During his town hall on Monday, he said there have been three shutdowns and 55 continuing resolutions since 2011. Supported by the National Taxpayers Union, his End Government Shutdowns Act would establish a two-week rolling continuing appropriations process, keeping spending at last year’s levels until a new bill is passed. He hopes this bill will curb the big spenders in Congress who continue to drive up the deficit.

Johnson also discussed litigation related to vaccine injuries, inflation, healthcare, and immigration reform during his hour-long teletown hall. 

If the government is shut down, many federal employees could be furloughed or laid off, and some services could be delayed or halted until a new continuing resolution is passed. 

It can be pretty intimidating to enter a room with new opportunities all around you, but it could be your best shot at landing your dream job. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, more than 51 percent of college students have attended a job fair in the past year, compared to meet-and-greets (29 percent), employer presentations (20 percent), and webinars (19 percent). Of those students, more than 45 percent were able to get an interview, and a quarter of them were offered a position after attending a job fair. With more people attending job fairs, combined with time constraints and intimidation factors, it can be challenging for you to stand out. We Are HOPE, Inc.’s Kim Carley says preparation is key to making the most of your job fair experience.

As the summer turns into fall, there are many job fairs on the horizon for you to attend, including We Are HOPE’s on October 13th and NWTC’s on October 9th.

Just as the leaves are turning color this month, so is your primary ballot for next fall’s race for Wisconsin Governor.

In the wake of U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany joining the Republican field, Milwaukee-area businessman Bill Berrien exited after entering the race in July. Currently, Tiffany and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann are the leading candidates to put a Republican back in the Governor’s mansion for the first time since 2018.

On the Democratic side, former Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation Director Missy Hughes became the latest entry into the primary after announcing her candidacy on Monday. According to the Associated Press, Hughes spent 16 years at Organic Valley, a dairy cooperative, before her six-year stint at the WEDC. Touting that experience, she says the state needs a leader “who knows what it takes to create jobs, support workers, and attract businesses.”

Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Senator Kelda Roys, and state Rep. Francesca Hong make up the rest of the crowded Democratic field looking to replace Governor Tony Evers, who announced shortly after signing the 2025-2027 biennial budget that he would not be running for a third term.

The primary election is scheduled for August 2026.

Public health departments in Door and Kewaunee counties have opportunities for you to get vaccinated in the coming months if you want to roll up your sleeve. The Door County Public Health Department announced its fall immunization clinic schedule on Wednesday, taking its team to Washington Island on October 2nd, Sister Bay on October 21st, and Sturgeon Bay for seven dates between October 9th and December 9th. Depending on your eligibility, you can get one or two different influenza shots or the COVID-19 vaccine. You can find appointment information below.

The Kewaunee County Public Health Department is hosting a free vaccine clinic for kids up to 18 on October 27th from 1 to 5 p.m. The clinic includes flu shots and all school-required vaccines. Appointments are preferred, but the department says walk-ins are welcome as well.

The Centers for Disease Control announced on Thursday that the United States experienced the highest number of pediatric flu deaths last season, usually from October to May. According to NBC News, falling childhood flu vaccine rates were to blame, though the shot is 78 percent effective in keeping them out of the hospital.

Whether you can make it to a state park or not, there are plenty of ways you can explore the terrain on a mountain bike in Door County. Earlier this week, the Friends of Big Hill Park updated the Sturgeon Bay Joint Parks and Recreation Committee and Board on their expansion efforts to extend the trail length from 1/3 mile to 1 1/3 miles. Neighbors around the park signed a petition by Will Gregory to slow down the progress on the trail system. Friends of Big Hill Park’s Matt Young says he has heard that kids in Sturgeon Bay have nothing to do for years. Young played a significant role in bringing a skate park to Sturgeon Bay nearly a decade ago. He says he is as passionate about getting more mountain bike trails into the city now as he was when he was supporting the construction of the skate park.

Meanwhile, progress on mountain biking trail expansion in Peninsula State Park continues. The Friends of Peninsula State Park announced on Thursday that phase two of their mountain bike trails is progressing on schedule, with a second nine-mile loop potentially going live by the end of 2025. The growth of mountain biking could add another spoke in the wheel for Door County tourism. According to Bike Magazine and a Trust for Public Land study, mountain bikers spend $416 on average when visiting a community for riding. 

If your kids ever wanted to go up in an airplane and see parts of Door County from above, October 4th is your lucky day. EAA Chapter 630 is hosting its Young Eagles Rally at the Door County Cherryland Airport in Sturgeon Bay, giving kids ages 8-17 a free airplane ride with permission from their parent or legal guardian. Organizer Robert Funk has participated in the program for the last four to five years. The Young Eagles Rally started at the Ephraim-Gibraltar Airport before being moved to Sturgeon Bay in recent years. Last year, more than two dozen children participated in the event, many of whom had never been in an airplane before. Funk says he loves seeing the children smile after the ride and hopes it inspires the next generation of aviators.

Space is limited for the free airplane rides, so Funk encourages you to visit this link to sign your child up. The event comes after the Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay announced earlier this week that Pilotsmith, its on-site flight school, is expanding due to increased enrollment.

Although much of September felt almost summery, we now see signs of fall as October arrives.

This week, our programming will focus on the change of season. One of the first signs is that we will host the Door Peninsula Mushroom Club’s Fall Fungi Fest on Saturday, October 4, from 9:00 to 2:00. This will be immediately followed by our weekly Science Saturday Family program, “Signs of Fall.”

In our afterschool program, Environmental Exploration, on Tuesday, we will visit wetlands in the fall (which this year are not very wet—but wetlands nonetheless). The topic for this week’s Junior Nature Club is “Colors,” so we will be looking at autumn leaves.

One of the children attending Junior Nature Club asked, "In the fall, why do things die so much?”

We find the answer in David Arora’s classic book Mushrooms Demystified:
“One of the more obvious laws of nature is that existing life must die if new life is to flourish… if there were no vehicle for the disposal of dead matter, there soon would be no need for one—we would all be buried under a blanket of inert matter.

‘Fungi, along with bacteria, are precisely that vehicle. They are nature’s recyclers, the soil’s replenishers. Fungi and bacteria reduce complex organic compounds into simpler building blocks, enabling plants to reuse them. Thus, in a very profound way, fungi are life givers and destroyers.”

That recycling role makes fungi a perfect focus for our fall explorations.” So during our various activities this week, we will observe the fruiting bodies of fungi—the mushrooms.

Admittedly, some parasitic fungi feed on living organisms, but most fungi live on dead and decaying matter or form mutually beneficial relationships with plants. These are the fungi that make mushrooms. But don’t assume that all mushrooms look like chubby umbrellas.

Mushrooms develop in a dazzling array of sizes, shapes, and spore dispersal methods. I was taught that “mushrooms are to fungi what apples are to an apple tree,” but that comparison is a stretch. Fungi are not plants, and spores are nothing like seeds. But mushrooms do form so that fungi can release tens of thousands of spores to reproduce.

Autumn mushrooms are indeed a sign of fall—but not a dependable one. Mushrooms are neither plants nor animals and don’t respond to hours of daylight or human calendars. There is, however,  some evidence that they follow internal rhythms that regulate when they appear.

Often they emerge after rain and a sudden drop in temperature. But humid air and a damp surface—a rotting log, decaying leaf litter, moist soil—can also trigger fruiting. Or not. Sometimes a fungus is worn out, lacks dead material, or …well, who knows?

Fungi do. They—without brains—“know” exactly when spores are most likely to germinate.

Other signs of fall, such as autumn colors (dependent on early fall sunshine), leaf drop, and bird migration, we can count on. And maybe we will also see these things—and a whole bunch of truly bizarre-shaped mushrooms—as we get in touch with nature in the fall.

Saturday, October 4
9:00-2:00 Fall Fungi Fest
Enjoy the Door Peninsula Mushroom Club’s Fall Fungi Fest. Meet mushroom growers, vendors, artisans, and enthusiasts. Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.  

Saturday, October 4
2:00 Science Saturday:  Signs of Fall
Explore Crossroad’s forest edges as we search for signs of fall. This program is intended for school-aged children, but learners of all ages are welcome. It is free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Monday, October 6
1:30 Movie Matinee: The Magic of the Snowy Owl
Enjoy an intimate look at the snowy owl. Filmmakers take us into the owls’ tundra home. Free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, October 7
3:30 Environmental Exploration – Fall Wetlands
This after-school family program, geared for school-aged students, will—weather permitting—include a hike to observe signs of fall in a wetland area. It may not be very soggy this time of year, but it is still home to wetland species and creatures. Dress for the weather. This program is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, October 8 
10:00 Junior Nature Club
This program explores nature and includes free play for children ages 3–5 and their adult companions. The topic will be colors and other signs of fall. No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

1:30 Wandering Wednesday
Join a naturalist on a guided hike along Crossroads's trails, looking for signs of fall. The hike is easy and takes about an hour. No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

It may not be October yet, but the Door County YMCA wants you thinking about costumes and candy now. The Door County YMCA announced it will host its annual Trunk-or-Treat events on October 24th from 4:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the Jackie and Steve Kane Center parking lots in Fish Creek and the Sturgeon Bay Program Center. Gymnastics and Youth Director Julia Lasecki knows dozens of kids will be ready to trick or treat, but that is only half the equation. She hopes that you are willing to help in a variety of ways.

You can contact the YMCA to volunteer, whether that is by setting up for the event, serving refreshments, or passing out candy from your car. You can also bring unopened candy bags to donate to the Trunk-or-Treat event.

Picture courtesy of the Door County YMCA

It never seems to fail that harvest and rain tend to be inseparable, resulting in mud being transferred from the field to the road. For those harvesting, please be attentive to the material you are displacing and make every effort to minimize the amounts left on the road. This may mean equipment left on site to clean in between every load. The law that pertains to the placement of foreign material on the roadway is: 346.94(5) Placing Injurious Substances on Highway, which states “No Person shall place or cause to be placed upon a highway any foreign substance which is or may be injurious to any vehicle or part thereof.” While we have taken an educational approach regarding these responses and have issued warnings, there comes a time when warnings transition to citations.

As long as we are on the subject of state statutes, here’s another one that is quite relevant: 346.51(1) “Improper parking on/off roadway.” Whether you are using the road to offload a piece of construction equipment or to transfer loads from a field, it is your obligation to observe proper safety practices.

This may mean putting out warning signs, cones, or even deploying flag persons. Almost daily, we receive complaints of roadways being obstructed by individuals or companies with equipment on the road, creating a situation where vehicles are crossing into the opposite traffic lane. Responding officers arrive and work with the business or individual to rectify the problem.  Unfortunately, if the area cannot be made safe, the only other option is to shut down the operation until it can be made secure. If you know you will be offloading or staging equipment on a roadway, please plan by checking the area to see the level of warning devices you may need. Check with the town official for that area to see if you will be on a town road, and the county highway superintendent to see if you are on a county or state highway. Again, we have approached this issue from an educational perspective for many years, and the time has passed where ignorance of the law will be accepted.

In the end, the responsibility for a potential accident caused by poor planning or a failure to provide proper warning will fall to the individual or business creating the hazard. If you are traveling in the countryside and observe what you feel is a traffic hazard, please call law enforcement, and we will respond. Together, we can keep our roads safe.

For those in the general public who may find themselves in proximity to the harvesting process, please use caution when operating around these pieces of equipment. They have many blind spots and may stop or turn to move in and out of field driveways and side roads.

Having been fortunate enough to have grown up in the farming community, I know the sense of urgency that comes with both planting and harvesting; however, no shortcut or increased speed will make a difference when someone becomes injured, and any potential savings will pale in comparison to the cost of tragedy.

Childcare in your community received more good news this week when the Door County Community Foundation announced on Friday a $1 million donation from Gary and Marti Spittell Ziegelbauer to support Doorway to Learning.

The donation kicks off Doorway to Learning’s Opening the Door to a Brighter Future Campaign as the organization looks to secure its long-term future. “We are honored to be able to leave a legacy for the children and families of Door County,” said the Ziegelbauers in a joint statement. “Not only are we grandparents, we are employers and residents in this wonderful community. We are lucky to be able to help support and sustain quality child care – it makes the community stronger and its positive effects will last for generations.” The donation will go a long way to support Doorway to Learning, which cares for nearly 150 children year-round and 200 children during the summer months.

Doorway to Learning Board President Devin Vandertie is grateful for the Ziegelbauers’ generosity because of what it means to provide accessible, high-quality child care to young families in Door County. “The reality of rising costs makes it increasingly difficult to offer affordable tuition while sustaining operations,” said Vandertie. “This kind of transformational support from community members like the Ziegelbauers allows us to keep our doors open and meet this critical need for families across Door County.”

You can learn more about the campaign by clicking this link.

The news comes just days after Northern Door Children’s Center cut the ribbon on its newly renovated Sister Bay facility. Because of its $3.8 million campaign, the Northern Door Children’s Center can also serve nearly 150 students year-round. 

Aside from an upper respiratory infection, the kitten, now named Splash, is resting comfortably at the Wisconsin Humane Society- Door Campus, where she will be up for adoption soon. “We’re so grateful and in awe of the heroes who came to rescue tiny Splash,” said Corey Viars, media specialist at WHS. “Without their quick thinking and speedy response, she would unlikely have survived. Our community is so awesome, and this story reminded us of how lucky we are to have such compassionate and kind neighbors.”

An accident involving an agricultural semi-tractor is to blame for an accident on Thursday that led to a home catching fire and State Highway 54 being closed in Casco for nearly seven hours.

The accident occurred before 2 p.m. near the intersection of State Highway 54 and County C. According to the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, an agricultural semi-tractor exited a local business onto State Highway 54 without lowering its tarping mechanism after unloading its product. As a result, the tarping mechanism came into contact with the power lines, causing damage to both. The tarping mechanism was hit by another agricultural vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, causing damage to a nearby utility pole that started a structure fire. When emergency personnel arrived, one deputy knocked down a portion of the fire using an extinguisher, but flames had already reached the attic area.

The Casco Fire Department led several other agencies, including Algoma, Luxemburg, Kewaunee, New Franken, and Luxemburg Rescue, to fight the fire. At the same time, Wisconsin Public Service repaired the utility lines and restored power. Brussels-Union-Gardner Fire Department and Denmark Fire Department stood on standby. According to Wisconsin 511, STH 54 was opened at approximately 8:45 p.m.

Your opportunity to get into a holiday spirit while watching a movie with local ties is coming on December 13th. Along with Destination Door County, the Door Community Auditorium announced on Thursday that it plans to host the Door County premiere of “A Cherry Pie Christmas,” the holiday movie that wrapped up filming earlier this year. Also operating under “A Wisconsin Christmas Pie,” the movie is about a Chicago pastry chef who returns home and meets an old flame while trying to decide between her dream job and her family’s orchard. The trailer shows familiar sights around Door County, including a cherry pie contest at the Christkindlmarket in Sister Bay. After last week’s announcement that the movie would air on the Great American Family, GFAM+, and Great American Pure Flix outlets, Destination Door County’s Jen Rogers said the excitement is building as information trickles out.

The excitement has built up to the point that the Door County Community Auditorium will also host a 1 p.m. matinee on December 14th in addition to the initial December 13th screening, which will feature the film’s producer, members of the cast and crew, and locals involved with the filming in attendance. The free tickets are available beginning on Friday. However, attendees are encouraged to donate money to the DCA to support its new facility, The Annex, that is being built across the street. 

UPDATE: WE'VE GOT MOVIE SIGN!

According to the last U.S. Census Bureau, Door County's Hispanic population continues to grow. At around 1,130 residents, approximately four percent of the county’s population is Hispanic, up from 2.4 percent in 2010. You can find more information about Saturday’s Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration below.

While experts led the trip in underwater archaeology, you easily could have been the one who discovered Wisconsin’s newest shipwreck. Principal Investigator Brendon Baillod and a group of 20 citizen scientists and community historians discovered the schooner F.J. King on June 28th near Cana Island. Despite nearly five decades of unsuccessful searches, Baillod credited high-tech equipment and a trove of original documents that were digitized to help with their discovery. Baillod showcased their discovery on Wednesday at the Door County Maritime Museum before spotlighting the 20 citizen scientists and community historians who joined him and his partner Bob Jaecks. Friends of Plum and Pilot Islands’ Captain Stiles Meredith and Captain Scott Nelson were at the controls of their organization’s boat, The Shoreline, when the discovery was made. The pair have always wanted to be a part of an expedition to discover a shipwreck, and they are still amazed that their goal has been realized.

Thanks to thousands of pictures taken during the discovery, you can explore the F.J. King via 3D virtual reality tours using an Oculus VR headset. Baillod and Jaecks showcased the technology following the presentation, with several of the citizen scientists getting another look at their discovery. Jaecks says that not only can you get an up-close look at the grounded vessel, but scientists can see how time and factors like the lake’s zebra mussel population degrades it over time.

This is the fifth shipwreck Baillod has assisted in finding in the last three years, but he does not plan on stopping there. He mentioned he is already looking into a similar trip with a new batch of citizen scientists and community historians next year.

Brick by brick, you have seen the Northern Door Children’s Center in Sister Bay grow to meet the community's needs. The organization celebrated its latest additions on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting by some of the center’s students. Paid for by its $3.6 million Essential Campaign, the center’s transformation included additional infant and toddler classrooms, a flexible indoor and outdoor classroom, and expanded kitchen, library, and administrative office spaces. During her remarks, Executive Director Cindy Trinkner-Peot highlighted the community's support for Northern Door Children’s Center, which is located in an area otherwise a childcare desert.

Individual donors and local businesses like Main Street Market helped lead the charge that allows the center to serve more than 150 children, about 40 more than they were able to at the same time last year. Trinkner-Peot says the facility is a dream come true.

The space was needed to support the area’s young families and its recent partnership with the Gibraltar Area School District to provide 4K. Because of the expansion, Trinkner-Peot says the center’s waitlist exists, but it is in a much better place.

 

 

 

 

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A plate of barbecue next week can help your friends and neighbors find the job of their dreams. With hundreds of jobs posted on area boards and websites, including JobsInDoorCounty.com, it is not a matter of finding a position but the right one for you. We Are Hope’s EmployAbility Hub helps connect prospective employees with the tools they need to be ready for the workplace, such as technical skills training, soft skills development, and career exploration. The EmployAbility Hub also assists employers looking to hire more people and community agencies hoping to find more individuals to support. We Are Hope, Inc. Executive Director Kim Carley says events like next week’s Grub at the Hub fundraiser are essential to organizations like theirs as grant funding begins to dry up.

We Are Hope will host its annual Grub at the Hub event on September 30th from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Click this link for more information about this event, including how to preorder your smoked pork and brisket.

While areas like Door and Kewaunee counties are starting to lead the way to limiting nitrate pollution in your water, organizations like Clean Wisconsin and the Alliance of the Great Lakes are calling for a broader approach to addressing the issue.

The two organization released their report “Nitrates on Tap,” chronicling the current challenges of nitrate pollution in the state and offering possible solutions to address it. The report includes a feature on Casco resident Tyler Frye, who discovered his home’s nitrate levels tested at 26.6 mg/L, nearly three times the current standard of 10 mg/L and almost six times the limit the two organizations would like to see. Statewide, there were 59 nitrate maximum contaminant level (MCL) violations in 2024, the highest since 2012 and one of three years where it was over 50 (57 in 2014, 54 in 2017).

The study estimates that nitrate pollution costs Wisconsinites millions of dollars every year, whether it is well replacement ($7,500-$75,000), water filtration systems ($3000 installation, $617-$1321 for the first year of a lease), medical expenses, and more. Water and Agriculture Program Director Sara Walling says a more statewide approach to addressing nitrate pollution is needed in Ohio and Minnesota, rather than the piecemeal approach you see in Wisconsin.

Since making national headlines nearly a decade ago for its water quality issues, Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Director Davina Bonness says there has been improvement thanks to new NR-151 rules, its winter manure spreading ordinance, and the work of producer-led watershed groups like Peninsula Pride Farms. She says bacteria-related issues have dropped drastically, while nitrate concerns pop up from time to time.

Walling recognizes Kewaunee County's strides to improve its water quality but insists that more can be done.

Door and Kewaunee counties both have well-testing opportunities during October. Click this link to learn how to sign up. 

Although you ultimately have the final say, two Door County Medical Center doctors are following the lead of other medical organizations regarding the use of acetaminophen.

On Monday, the Trump Administration linked acetaminophen, commonly known as Tylenol, to the country's rising autism rates. The studies cited by the White House showed an association between the two, but not a causation. The Food and Drug Administration has already begun the process of adding autism warnings to products that contain the drug, often used as a pain reliever and fever reducer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the  American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have all made statements regarding the announcement, all agreeing that acetaminophen is safe for children and pregnant mothers when taken as directed. They also refuted the assertion that there is a link between autism and acetaminophen.

Door County Medical Center Pediatrician Dr. Shane Colvin says he tries to make recommendations based on the best interest of the health of the pregnant mother and the child, and he believes the risk/reward of using acetaminophen as a treatment is in favor of using the medicine correctly after having a conversation with your doctor.

Dr. Elizabeth Gaida agrees with Colvin and the ACOG and SMFM, the largest organizations of obstetricians and perinatologists in the United States. She says there is "real harm in not treating fevers or pain in pregnancy," and she fears that pregnant women will resort to other over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen or naprosyn. "We do have good evidence and biologic mechanism of action data that those medications are harmful to a developing fetus," Gaida added.

In addition to its new guidance on acetaminophen, the White House also advocated the use of leucovorin to be used for children showing autistic symptoms and funneled more than $50 million into 13 projects through the National Institutes of Health for autism research.

There are plenty of ways your kids can interact with their peers at the Door County YMCA in the months ahead. Programming, such as before and after school care, started earlier this month, with room to bring in even more kids. The program coordinates with the Sturgeon Bay School District and its busing provider, Kobussen. Beginning this month, the Door County YMCA is also reintroducing its monthly teen nights on Wednesdays through the end of the high school football season. School Age Director Ashley Bagneski says their child and teen programming is an excellent way for kids to interact with each other in a safe environment outside of the school day.

The first Teen Night will occur tonight (September 24th) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. You can listen to the full Y Wednesday interview by clicking this link.

Resident Will Gregory wants to see more of you use the existing mountain bike trails at Big Hill Park before it is further expanded. His petition triggered a discussion at Wednesday’s Joint Parks and Recreation Committee/Board Meeting. The petition, which has been signed by 30 individuals surrounding the park, calls for the Friends of Big Hill Park group to pause their expansion efforts that will add more than an additional mile onto the existing system. It specifically calls for the city to remove the western side of Big Hill Park from trail construction, remove extra debris from the park's eastern side, and keep the trail to the sledding hill unobstructed. Gregory says he and his dog walk in the park almost daily at different times, estimating he has visited thousands of times since the park was established six years ago. Outside of a few tire tracks on those walks, he adds that it has been rare to see bikers using the trails. He insists he is not anti-trail but believes they are harming the forest irreparably without the traffic to show for it.

Multi-instrumentalist Kevin Van Ess and his band, Talk of the Town, hope you can help them develop the next generation of musicians in Door County. Talk of the Town is the final non-holiday performance for Birch Creek Music Performance Center’s fall season, including pianists Jodie DeSalvo, Colin Welford, and the Lawrence University Jazz Trio. The band is comprised mostly of retired music educators from northeast Wisconsin who also perform in other groups in the region, including the Packers Band on game days. Van Ess applauds Birch Creek Music Performance Center's work during the summer, exposing hundreds of kids from across the Midwest to professional musicians and enthusiastic audiences. He knows the excitement of performing, and he wants to ensure Birch Creek students get as many opportunities as possible to experience that thrill.

Playing their Dixieland-style jazz inside Birch Creek’s Juniper Hall, Talk of the Town plays on Saturday at 7 p.m. You can find ticketing information and learn more about the fall season finale of Christmas at Birch Creek by clicking on this link. 

Picture courtesy of Birch Creek Music Performance Center

While it threatened to rain outside, you would have encountered a bright light shining on the impact of public transportation in Door County on Monday afternoon. The Door County Transportation Department hosted its first transportation fair on Monday inside the horse, sheep, and swine barn at the Door County Fairgrounds, filling it with trucks, cars, and buses from Door County and Sturgeon Bay municipal departments, local organizations like Door-Tran and Sunshine Resources, and area businesses for community members to explore. At the center of the event was recognition for Door2Door Rides’ 15 years of service, providing more than 500,000 rides. Transportation Manager Pam Busch honored United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle and Door County Transportation Consortium member Frank Maxwell for making public transit a reality in Door County. During her remarks, Kohnle shared the turning point for their efforts, which included filling out grant applications in the airport in the aftermath of a conference on public transportation because of tight deadlines.

 

 

 

 

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Maxwell said it used to cost Washington Island residents nearly $70 to go to Sturgeon Bay for appointments and errands if they did not have a car. He added that the current system is a great example of what the government can do for its residents.

 

 

 

 

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Door2Door Rides provided approximately 13,550 rides in 2011 and almost 40,000 rides last year. Their fleet has also grown to include three ambulatory-seven passenger vans, six wheelchair-accessible vans, and one hybrid sedan.

Helping your children get the mental health services they may not otherwise get continues to be a focus of the United Way of Door County. Last year, STRIDE, the organization’s mental health project, provided in-school counseling for approximately 70 students across the county’s five districts. Without STRIDE, students often get lost in the shuffle as there is only one mental health provider for every 710 Door County residents, which trails the ratio for the state (1:400) and the nation (1:320). STRIDE and its STRIDE Creative program help address the 50 percent of Door County youth who experience significant problems due to anxiety and prolonged sadness. While there is still room for growth, United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle is thrilled with the progress.

In addition to donating to the United Way of Door County’s Annual Campaign, you can support STRIDE by participating in this weekend’s Walk to Support STRIDE. It is being hosted by St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Sturgeon Bay beginning at 8:30 a.m. You can find additional registration details below.

You can attend a trivia night in Sturgeon Bay beginning on Wednesday without worrying about answering a single question. “Ryan’s Pub, Trivia Night” has its world premiere on Wednesday at Third Avenue PlayWorks, with Kelli Strickland playing the role of Marci and Doug Mancheski posing as Richie. The play by playwright Alec Silberblatt is about a Pittsburgh-area trivia team dealing with a pair of cheaters and their own personal demons. Artistic Director Jacob Janssen says the production speaks to those who have participated in trivia nights and believe it could draw a following similar to when area book clubs came to Third Avenue PlayWorks during a play’s run on that culture.

Wednesday’s premiere will benefit JAK’s Place as a part of Third Avenue PlayWorks’s Pay-What-You-Will Preview. “Ryan’s Pub, Trivia Night” runs through October 12th, Wednesday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Of the 148 items nominated in the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce’s “Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin” contest, one that you will find hails from Carlsville.

Luba Libations cracked the list of nominated items in the annual competition, which includes everything from soda, cheese, and beef jerky to 3-D printed furniture, manhole covers, and Racing Sausage costumes. It is just the latest accolade for Luba Libations, which launched in May and won several awards at recent competitions against other zero-proof cocktail producers. Owner Nic Trapani says the recognition means a lot to them.

 

 

 

 

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You can support Luba Libations by voting online from today through September 30th. After the popular vote round ends, the top 16 products will compete in “Manufacturing Madness,” a bracket-style tournament culminating with one champion. The 2025 Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin will be crowned at WMC’s Business Day event in Madison on Oct. 23rd.  Jolly Good soda (2024), Pierce’s electric fire truck (2022), and Harley Davidson’s Milwaukee Eight Engine (2016) are some of the past winners.

Do not be shocked if you saw State Senator Andre Jacque shuffling around Madison in recent weeks.

Even though the Wisconsin Legislature’s floor period is over until October 7th, according to its calendar, Jacque has had several bills advance since the start of the month, including one protecting victims of deep fake pornography that is heading to Governor Tony Evers’ desk. Last week, Jacque was part of a hearing for his Senate Bill 411, which aims to provide funding for the state’s veterans housing and recovery program, adjustments to the property tax credit for eligible disabled veterans, and support for the UW Missing-in-Action Identification Project. The debate over the veterans housing and recovery program has garnered plenty of finger-pointing over the last several weeks as Democrats and Republicans blame each other for funding being left out of the 2025-2027 budget. Jacque says the hearing left him encouraged as members from both parties and veterans groups attended to voice their support.

Jacque’s bills on no taxes on tips, protections for victims of domestic and gang abuse, and support for parents of stillborns also advanced out of committee and will head to the full Senate for a vote.

Knowing that your water is safe begins with a test being offered by Door and Kewaunee counties next month. Due to the area’s geology and the combination of agricultural activity, aging septic systems, and other sources of contamination, water quality in Door and Kewaunee counties has been scrutinized for years. Kewaunee County Land and Water Conservation Director Davina Bonness says new NR-151 rules and improved farming practices have helped the area with its bacteria-related water contamination concerns, while elevated nitrate levels continue to pop up elsewhere. Bonness believes it is essential for property owners to stay updated with their water testing.

Door and Kewaunee counties are recruiting property owners to sign up for upcoming testing opportunities. In Kewaunee County, thanks to funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, Peninsula Pride Farms, and other donations, you have until October 15th to sign up for tests costing $15. Door County is continuing its partnership with UW-Oshkosh for its testing program. Testing ranges from $30 to $45, with registration available until October 10th. You can learn more about the programs below. 

You will see more than two dozen sailboats go in separate directions after Saturday, as their artists wished them fair winds and calm seas. 

Auctioning off the 26 six-foot-tall pieces of art was one of the many activities around the downtown area on Saturday as a part of Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Harvest Fest. As a part of its farewell regatta, more than a dozen artists got to talk about their pieces and the work that went into them. Artist Nicole Herbst says seeing her piece “Waterlilies” was a highlight of her trips downtown since it was installed on 3rd Avenue in May. Those trips were only made more special when she encountered others enjoying it

Artist Trenton Yadro spent dozens of hours turning the sails of “Perpetual Explorer” into a beautiful mosaic featuring a clock and a compass. Now, he wonders what kind of journey it will take after it leaves Martin Park.

Harvest Fest goers lined the streets of Sturgeon Bay all day long on Saturday, extending the Farmers Market festivities into the afternoon with live music, food, vendors, a car show, the tapping of the Oktoberfest firkin, and more.

Picture and video courtesy of Destination Sturgeon Bay

Some generous September rainclouds would brighten our day at Crossroads, but the patchy fog, haze, and overcast days are not particularly welcome. That is precisely why we chose “Clouds” for our Saturday Science program this week and “Signs of Fall” for next week.

These weekly family programs are geared toward kids, but learners of all ages are welcome. The programs start promptly at 2:00. The cloud demonstrations—we actually make clouds with dry ice—are cool and always a big hit with the kids. But the adults seem more interested in fall colors, and the two are inextricably related.

Even when we have clouds, the Crossroads solar collectors work, but the electrical output is much greater on bright sunny days. The same goes for photosynthesis. On bright summer days, tree leaves collect the energy of the Sun and convert it to sugars. And on brilliant September days, the leaves also make lots of sugars. Those sugars activate a pigment called anthocyanin, which makes plants red and purple.

Meanwhile, with the shortening days and cooler nights, the movement of sugars into the tree roots slows. At the same time, a special band of cells called the abscission layer forms at the base of each leaf's stem. Hormones in the tree trigger this corky layer, which essentially blocks the movement of water and nutrients between the leaf and the rest of the tree. Eventually, the leaves break off at this point.

But on sunny days, until the leaves drop, sugars still build up in the leaves. And the more trapped sugars there are, the redder the leaves—especially on the sunny side of a road or hill.

In reality, fall colors are merely  a by-product of deciduous trees shutting down for the winter. But we at Crossroads don’t shut down.  Watch our website for a colorful schedule of activities for learners of all ages throughout the fall and winter and beyond.

Saturday, September 27
2:00 Saturday Science: Clouds                                                                                     
Geared for elementary students but open to all ages, through indoor and outdoor demonstrations (yes! dry ice involved) and activities, learn about different types of clouds and how they affect the environment. Reservations not required. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Monday, September 29
1:30 Video Presentation: “Beauty on the Wing”

Learn why butterflies are essential to the environment. Free and open to all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay.

Wednesday, October 1

10:00    Junior Nature Club

This program explores nature and includes free play for children ages 3–5 and their adult companions. The topic will be “bridges”—a toddlers’ favorite! No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist on a guided hike through Crossroads's trails. It will be easy walking and last about an hour. No pre-registration is required. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay.

You will not see shovels yet, but one hurdle was cleared on Tuesday en route to reimagining the future of athletics and outdoor recreation in Sturgeon Bay.

The Sturgeon Bay Common Council unanimously approved a Joint Parks and Recreation Committee and Board recommendation to move forward with the master planning of the Memorial Field Outdoor Athletic Complex project, which is located across the street from Sturgeon Bay High School. The plan calls for more than just new baseball, softball, and football fields for Sturgeon Bay High School students. The public-private partnership will also see pickleball courts, a fitness circuit, multi-use trails, pavilions, and more dot the property with parcels owned by the city and the school district. City Administrator Josh Van Lieshout said last week that the plan was ambitious, but checks off many boxes for residents who took surveys and attended open houses about the project. City Mayor David Ward believes the project will help attract families to the area as the project begins to take shape.

Ward believes they could begin engineering work in 2026, with construction starting in 2027 or 2028.

Getting you better acquainted with the health-related services available in your community is the goal of the Community Healthy Living Fair hosted by the Door County YMCA at its Sturgeon Bay Program Center next month. Sponsored in part by Door County Medical Center, the October 21st event features screenings for vision, hearing, diabetes, blood pressure, and skin, flu shots, and lectures by local doctors. The Community Healthy Living Fair comes at a time when the weather starts to turn and people start staying inside more. Sturgeon Bay Healthy Living Director Sarah Gavin hopes locals take advantage of the opportunity to connect with the services they may need, but never knew existed.

Gavin adds that more services and vendors are being added to the event, which will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. If you would like to attend but do not have a ride to the Door County YMCA in Sturgeon Bay, contact the Door County Transportation Department. You can listen to our entire Y Wednesday interview by clicking on this link.

More people around the country will learn about one of your favorite places in Sturgeon Bay to play a game while enjoying a drink and a bite to eat.

Film crews from America’s Best Restaurant, a national media and marketing company, were on location Friday afternoon to capture what makes The Gnoshery a special place to dine and play in Sturgeon Bay. Popular dishes and drinks were highlighted during the appearance, while owner Pat Fuge and his gnomes showcased the restaurant's special place in the community. The Gnoshery has welcomed residents and visitors to bring their families to dine and play together. The Gnoshery earned its place on the show thanks to its online customer reviews, menu items, social media presence, and level of involvement with its community. Fuge says a lot of what makes The Gnoshery a special place comes naturally, and he is thrilled that more people around the country will see it for themselves.

Fuge thanks the community and its customers for helping The Gnoshery raise its profile enough to be showcased nationally. The episode will be aired extensively on social media channels early next year.

It took several agencies across northeast Wisconsin, including two in Kewaunee County, to bring a string of fraudulent credit card use and tire thefts to a screeching halt.

The Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of 27-year-old Cesar Mendoza Mora of Green Bay on Friday. The search for Morea started with a series of thefts in Kewaunee County that involved the fraudulent use of credit cards before their investigation branched out to other jurisdictions. On Thursday, the department worked with the Seymour Police Department to execute an arrest warrant for Mora after being connected to several tire thefts in northeast Wisconsin. A search warrant was also executed in Green Bay by the city’s police department, where officers discovered a vehicle and trailer that were allegedly used in the scheme, in addition to illegal drugs. Mora is being charged with Receiving Stolen Property and will be in court on Monday for his bail hearing.

In addition to the Green Bay and Seymour police departments, the Brown County Drug Task Force provided assistance, and the Algoma Police Department provided interpreter services. The incident remains under investigation by the Kewaunee County Sheriff’s Department, and Mora is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The Christmas movie you saw being filmed in Door County earlier this year has a channel to call home this holiday season, though you may not recognize it at first glance. Great American Media announced on Friday that the film “A Wisconsin Christmas Pie” will air on its Great American Family, GFAM+, and Great American Pure Flix outlets as a part of its Great American Christmas program event. The movie was initially billed as “A Cherry Pie Christmas,” with Nicely Entertainment releasing a trailer under the name back in July.

According to the description, the movie is about a Chicago pastry chef who returns home and meets an old flame while trying to decide between her dream job and her family’s orchard. The trailer shows familiar sights around Door County, including a cherry pie contest at the Christkindlmarkt in Sister Bay. Destination Door County’s Jen Rogers says the excitement builds as information trickles out, especially as many streaming services carry Great American Family.

Several projects in Door and Kewaunee counties will receive critical state funding after Governor Tony Evers announced more than $1.3 million in grants on Friday. The announcement was in celebration of Coastal Awareness Month, and it will benefit 35 coastal communities in Wisconsin as a result.

“Today’s investment works to ensure these vital communities have the tools and resources they need to thrive, address climate change, expand public access to our coastal resources, and preserve our coastlines for future generations of Wisconsinites,” said Evers following the announcement.

Five projects specific to Door and Kewaunee counties will receive $120,620 in grant funding, while hundreds of thousands more could impact them.

In Door County, the Door County Soil & Water Conservation Department received $25,800 to address the spread of terrestrial invasive species along the Lake Michigan shoreline through public outreach and workshops for residents through partnerships with Wild Ones and the City of Sturgeon Bay. Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay will improve access to monitoring equipment in Door County and gather baseline water quality data for future research studies, thanks to a $27,962 grant from the program. The Wisconsin Historical Society will use its $15,786 grant to investigate, map, and evaluate the cultural resources associated with commercial piers on Washington and Detroit Island.

In Kewaunee County, the City of Kewaunee will develop a habitat restoration plan for the city-owned marshland, 65 acres of an 810-acre wetland at the mouth of the Kewaunee River, with its $27,800 grant.

Both counties will benefit from a $23,272 grant for the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey to calibrate and test a geologically realistic numerical groundwater flow model and develop a water-table map and a map of groundwater recharge values for southern Door and Kewaunee counties.

Additional grants for the Bay-Lake Regional Planning Commission and UW-Green Bay for the area’s National Estuarine Research Reserve designation process could also have an indirect, but potentially positive impact on Door and Kewaunee counties. The grants were recommended by the Wisconsin Coastal Management Council and part of the federally-funded Coastal Management Program. 

Keeping you and your neighbors out of jail and into programming to address their addiction and mental health concerns is the goal of a new program being developed in Kewaunee County. On Tuesday, the Kewaunee County Board approved the acceptance of the $226,808 grant from the Wisconsin Department of Justice to establish a deflection outreach program like what is seen in the City of Superior and the counties of Sauk and Door. While Door County was able to establish a full-time position to administer their deflection outreach program, Kewaunee County will take on a more team-approach with personnel volunteering to assist in facilitating wellness check-ins based on internal and external referrals. The hope is that by connecting with these individuals and addressing the barriers that may be impacting their recovery or mental health stability that they are able to reduce recidivism in the Kewaunee County justice system. Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski says they have always had better luck with offenders if they aim for prevention rather than reaction.

Joski says the grant funding will go towards supporting overtime wages for existing staff who assist the Kewaunee County Deflection Program. He hopes after some site visits with other departments with deflection programs like Door County that they will be able launch their own in early 2026.

You can wear your love for Door County on your sleeve and more thanks to Rex Meikle’s line of clothing through Door Born. Meikle’s idea to highlight the area started along the shores of the Great Lakes, where he noticed people wearing clothing representing West Coast surf brands and Rocky Mountain adventure gear while enjoying unmistakably Midwest-grown activities. When he launched Door Born, he wanted to create clothing that paid tribute to the beauty surrounding Door County while using materials that allow you to enjoy it. That includes its performance gear with a UPF 50+ rating that protects you from the sun while keeping you cool and dry. Meikle hopes his Door Born gear helps residents and visitors show as much pride in the area as he does.

Door Born is available online and at farmers' markets around the county, including the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market on Saturdays through October 11th. You can listen to our whole conversation with Meikle on the Faces of the Farmers Market podcast or watch the interview below.

You can mark the start of fall this weekend in Sturgeon Bay. Destination Sturgeon Bay welcomes the fall season with its annual Harvest Fest and Street Art Auction this weekend. The festival begins Friday at 5:00 p.m. with the Old Bolts Car Club’s annual “Cruise by the Bay” Classic Car Parade before the activities pick up again the following day. On Saturday, the event features the Oktoberfest firkin tapping with Mayor David Ward presiding, a craft fair, food vendors, and more on the streets of Sturgeon Bay. Destination Sturgeon Bay’s Alexa Soto says Harvest Fest is an excellent kickoff to the year's final months.

If you bid on one of the pieces featured in the “Set Sail in Sturgeon Bay” summer art installation, you must submit your final bid here before 5:30 p.m. You can find the full schedule of events by clicking on this link.

You will experience a lot more than just the sights on the next bus trip orchestrated by the Door County YMCA. On September 26th, the Door County YMCA is loading the bus to head south to Holy Hill Basilica and downtown Cedarburg for an autumn adventure. The day-long trip will allow you to explore the fall foliage and the unique features of those areas. Specialty Wellness Director Abby Baker says it is a great way to spend your day with friends and family and potentially make new friends.

Click this link for more information about the bus trip and other upcoming specialty programs. You can also listen to our full Y Wednesday interview here.

Filling the opportunities in your community is as important as creating new ones for the Door County Economic Development Corporation.

The spotlight on workforce development shines brighter during September as organizations nationwide recognize National Workforce Development Month. It is a process that Door County officially kicked off last year when the DCEDC approached local businesses about their hiring, recruitment, and retention practices. 

In year two of those efforts, DCEDC Executive Director Michelle Lawrie says the focus has been on developing an ecosystem in the county to help support those efforts. It has involved working with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, We Are HOPE Employability Hub, Do Good Door County, UW Extension, and other organizations to develop a one-stop shop where people looking for job opportunities and businesses hoping to keep good employees can go. Lawrie appreciates the team effort the community has made to prioritize this.

The DCEDC has developed its LiveDoorCounty.org as a resource for people seeking a future in the area to showcase the peninsula’s communities, career opportunities, and housing availability.

During his virtual town hall event on Monday, Wisconsin U.S. Senator Ron Johnson shared his thoughts about the assassination of conservative influencer Charlie Kirk. The Prospect Heights, Ill. native and founder of Turning Point USA was hosting an event on the campus of Utah Valley University when gunman Tyler Robinson allegedly shot him from the rooftop of a nearby building. Communities across the country hosted vigils in honor of Kirk, crediting him with building the conservative movement among young Americans. Johnson led off his town hall on Monday by remembering the life of Kirk, calling him a martyr and saying what he accomplished as a young man.

Johnson defended his comments during the virtual town hall to a few of the callers following his comments, adding that incendiary rhetoric needs to stop. The Republican Senator also addressed Medicare, the Epstein files, and political accountability during his hour-long meeting. You can watch the full town hall below.

Before heading out into the woods for the first time this season to hunt, DNR Conservation Warden Chris Kratcha wants you to pack some safety tips and other supplies. Hunters across the state had the opportunity to get a jump start on the deer hunting season with the archery and crossbow seasons beginning last Saturday. Deer hunting season has been exceptionally safe in past years, with only three reported incidents this year and fewer than 20 a year since 2021. Ensuring that you treat every firearm as if it is loaded, always pointing it in a safe direction, being sure of your target, and keeping your finger outside the trigger guard until you are ready to shoot are all essential tips to remember when you are firing a weapon. Kratcha says you can do several other things before you prepare to shoot to make a safe hunt possible.

The introduction of hunter education in 1967 and the mandatory use of blaze orange in 1980 have contributed to a drop in hunting-related injuries since it peaked at 264 in 1966.  In addition to deer, hunters are also able to track down bear (until October 7th), select migratory birds (seasons vary between now and January 2nd depending on species), wild turkey (until November 21st, November 22nd-January 4th), and small game (until February 28th). You can find more information about the upcoming hunting season here.

The parent company of Denny’s Supervalu in Algoma has been sold, but your local grocery store is not going anywhere. On Tuesday, Todd Schnuck of St. Louis-based Schnuck’s Markets Inc. announced that it was purchasing 100 percent of the shares of the Wisconsin-based parent company of Skogen’s Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers, Inc., as well as the shares of in the trust held by the associates in their Employee Stock Ownership Plan. The sale impacts over  50 grocery stores across the state, including nine Hometown Grocers locations. Denny’s Supervalu was purchased by Hometown Grocers in 2022 after nearly 50 years of ownership by the Wautlet family. In the sale’s announcement, the 1939 Group (owned by the Schnuck family) said they are “committed to maintaining the stores’ existing banners, all of which are well-known and respected in the communities they serve.” The closing is anticipated to be completed later in October. You can read the full statement below.

If your kids require a car seat, you are encouraged to visit the Sturgeon Bay Fire Department on October 4th. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 46 percent of child restraints are in a state of misuse that can interfere with their safety, including 16 percent of highback belt-positioning boosters and 90 percent that rely only on a seatbelt. Door County Public Health Certified Car Seat Safety Technician Pam Robillard says many parents are perfect about coming to get their car seats fitted well when their children are under one year old. The problems start when the children grow up and parents move kids to a different restraint system either too early or too late.  

After 15 years and over 530,000 rides, the Door County Transportation Department invites you to a party. The department is celebrating Door2Door Rides’ 15th anniversary on September 22nd with a Transportation Fair. In addition to highlighting its own D2D vehicles, the event will also highlight how the ADRC, emergency services, public health, parks, and highway department use their four-wheels to support county residents and visitors. Other businesses and organizations will display their vehicles at the event. Pam Busch has seen area transit develop over time as the leader of Door-Tran before taking the reins of the Door County Transportation Department. She is thrilled that public transportation has been sustained in Door County and excited to show how it impacts our daily lives.

The Transportation Fair will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. in the parking lots of John Miles County Park and the ADRC building. 

Peak colors in Door and Kewaunee counties this fall are still weeks away, though you may see some trees shedding their green for a more seasonal palette.

According to the Travel Wisconsin Fall Color Report, Door County is currently at 0 percent peak color, and Algoma is at five percent. Despite the difference in peak percentages, Door County is still expected to hit its highest level of color in the middle of October, while Algoma will be at that point two weeks later. You will still notice some trees starting to turn already. While the exact reasons are unknown, some trees may already show their fall colors. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) suggests that it happens when a drought or early frost puts additional stress on a tree. Destination Door County’s Jon Jarosh says the area will be ready whenever the peak colors appear.

Fall travel is growing in popularity across the country with vacation home rental company HomeToGo pointing a 28 percent uptick in rental searches for trips between September and November.

An 81-year-old Sturgeon Bay woman was transported to Door County Medical Center, and a 65-year-old Algoma man received two citations following a two-vehicle crash in the Town of Nasewaupee last Thursday. The accident occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. as the Sturgeon Bay woman was driving with an 80-year-old Sturgeon Bay in his pick-up truck near the State Highway 42/57 junction near County MM. According to the accident report, the pick-up truck was heading north when it noticed the Algoma man crossing the median in his sports-utility vehicle. The Algoma man said he was driving southbound on STH 42 when he looked but did not see any oncoming traffic and tried crossing both lanes. As he attempted to cross the northbound lanes, he noticed the other vehicle in his blind spot just as he was about to strike it. The Sturgeon Bay man told deputies that he tried turning to get out of the way but could not. The accident closed a portion of the highway for over an hour while clean-up occurred. The Algoma man was cited for operating a vehicle on a revoked license and failing to yield to the right of way.

Nearly 140 years after it sank and 50-plus years after extensive searches began, the Wisconsin Underwater Archeology Association wants to welcome you aboard the schooner F.J. King.

The organization announced the discovery of the long-lost shipwreck 139 years to the day it foundered in a storm near Baileys Harbor. The F.J. King has flummoxed researchers and underwater archeologists since the 1970s, before Principal Investigator Brendon Baillod and a group of 20 citizen scientists and community historians made their discovery on June 28th, 2025. The F.J. King was used in the grain and iron ore trades before a gale caused its demise on September 15th, 1886. Cana Island Lighthouse Keeper William Sanderson reported the location of the shipwreck a week later to the local paper to advise the public to avoid the area or meet a similar fate, but it was never found until now. Baillod says his crew was able to find the F.J. King thanks to high-tech equipment and a trove of original documents that were digitized, including Sanderson’s account.

He still credits the work of the entire team of citizen scientists and community historians for their assistance in the find, as he tries to make underwater archeology more accessible to the public.

Thanks to thousands of pictures taken during the discovery, you can explore the F.J. King via 3D virtual reality tours using the Oculus VR headset. The experience will be part of an in-person press conference and an opportunity to meet the discovery team at the Door County Maritime Museum on September 24th at 11 a.m. This is the fifth shipwreck Baillod has assisted in finding in the last three years.

You can click on this link to learn more about the shipwreck and see more of the images collected by Baillod.

On Saturday, Martin Park allowed residents and visitors to enjoy a sun-splashed day while supporting two organizations. The morning started with the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which drew over 480 participants. 

The event raised over $91,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association, which supports individuals and families affected by the disease, advocates for policies to improve care, and helps fund research to find treatments and a cure. Cheryl Shefchik from the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Door County expressed her appreciation for the support.

After the event, Walkers had plenty to do as Sunshine Resources took over the park for its annual Sunflower Fest, which helps support the organization’s mission to provide quality opportunities for area individuals with disabilities and disadvantages. Sunshine Resources’ Jeremy Pasczak said before Saturday that the day was a natural fit for the two organizations because of its Sunflower Cottages, which deal with many residents impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia. He was also appreciative of the support through its raffles, cornhole tournament, and other activities.

Sunflower Fest serves as Sunshine Resources’ biggest fundraiser of the year.

Your 2026 fall Primary ballot continues to fill up despite the election being more than a year away.

On Monday, State Senator Kelda Roys became the third Democrat to enter the field, joining Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. This will be the second time Roys has chased the state’s highest office, losing to Governor Tony Evers in the 2018 primary. Washington County Executive Josh Schoeman and Milwaukee businessman Bill Berrien have announced their bid on the Republican side. Former Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes, Attorney General Josh Kaul, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, and state Senate President Mary Felzkowski are also mulling gubernatorial bids. 

In the congressional race, Benjamin Hable of Shawano County announced he will run for the U.S. House seat currently held by Republican Rep. Tony Wied. Hable will have to navigate a Democratic field with Appleton businessman Mark Scheffler and former Green Bay School Board member Rick Crosson in the race. Retired chiropractor John Nowicki is almost exploring a run. Wied confirmed his intent to run for a second term late last month, telling WLUK that he is excited and passionate about the job and that it is an honor of a lifetime to represent the people of the district.

Conversations with your kids in the wake of tragedies over the past week are easier said than done for many parents. Last week, the nation mourned after conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was gunned down during an event in Utah. On the same day of his assassination, three students were injured at a Denver-area high school after a 16-year-old shooter opened fire before turning the gun on himself. Late last month, two children were killed as they prayed during mass at a Minneapolis-area Catholic school. Closer to home, Green Bay Area School District officials had to institute a clear backpack policy after a gun was found in one of the students’ backpacks following a series of disturbances at Preble High School. Shootings at schools can hurt a child’s mental health, whether they experience it where it happened or follow it through news coverage. Emily Kraynak from Door County Medical Center says these types of conversations can be uncomfortable, but necessary. She advises parents to provide the appropriate amount of information while tailoring their discussions to the age of their kids.

Kraynak adds that you should also make sure you are doing ok after discussing heavy subject matter with your kids.

Kraynak says you should encourage your kids to say something to a trusted adult if they see something out of the ordinary and not be afraid to ask for help if you need something. You can listen to our whole conversation with Kraynak below.

There are more people impacted than you think when it comes to domestic violence in your community. According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, over 1 in 3 women (35.6 percent) and 1 in 4 men (28.5 percent) in the US have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Factor in emotional and psychological abuse, and it becomes nearly half of all women (48.4 percent) and men (48.8 percent) in the United States who experience psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

While much of the focus is on the victim of the domestic violence, HELP of Door County offers programming for the abuser and the potential children involved in the relationship. The organization provides courses for the men and women who have perpetuated the abuse, and they have worked with authors to create books for children who might need help with their emotions. Executive Director Moriah Benzow says to stop the cycle of domestic violence, you have to approach it from an all-encompassing view.

HELP of Door County assists about 300 individuals annually, providing between 1,100 and 1,600 to those people along the way.

Long before Crossroads at Big Creek became an environmental preserve—or even the “school forest”—this land was an apple orchard. The tradition of growing fruit here dates back more than a century. According to the descendants of Hans and Bertha Hanson, after Hans died, his son foresaw the rise of orchards in Door County. Acting on that vision, Hans Jr. sold their property, and the family moved to Daggett, Michigan.

That foresight proved accurate. The land was sold to Moulton Goff in 1919 and became part of the Guern-Weal Farm Corporation—an enterprise that included what is now the Big Creek Preserve and land stretching from the current YMCA to the Fairgrounds. Though cherries, Christmas trees, rye, and alfalfa were also cultivated, the name “Guern-Weal” reveals the farm’s primary focus: Guernsey cows and Wealthy apples.

In those early years, most of the orchard work was done with hand tools, and those Wealthy apples were processed without electricity.

So how did those hand tools of the apple harvest work? The answer takes us back to grade school science: simple machines. These six basic devices change the direction or force of effort, making it easier to do work.

For our weekly Science Saturday program on Saturday, September 20, from 2:00 to 4:00, Crossroads is teaming up with the interpreters from the Madden Tool Museum to present The Simple Machines of Apple Harvest. Visitors can enjoy hands-on demonstrations and activities at the Madden Tool Museum across the trail from the Collins Learning Center.

Simple machines made harvest work easier, from peeling apples and making applesauce to driving nails. The Madden Tool Museum houses an extensive collection of antique apple peelers—each different and an ingenious combination of simple machines.

The crank is an example of a wheel and axle, with rotating gears attached to the spindle that holds the apple, transferring motion and speed. Many peelers use a threaded screw shaft to move the apple steadily toward the blade. The blade arm acts as a lever, and the blade itself is a wedge—just like any knife or axe blade.

Visitors of all ages can use some of these tools during the program.

Other family programs this week include Environmental Explorations, an afterschool program featuring a field study of the surprising life hidden in fallen logs, and Junior Nature Club, our Wednesday program for children ages 3–5 with an adult companion, during which participants will explore shapes in nature.

As always, our trails are open every day, free of charge, and all programs this week are offered at no cost thanks to the generosity of our donors. So, whether you are interested in local history, science education, or just looking for a wonderful outdoor experience, join us at Crossroads this week

Saturday, September 20
2:00–4:00 Saturday Science: Simple Machines of Apple Harvest
Meet at the Madden Tool Museum for a hands-on exploration of the “simple machines”—the hand tools used in processing apples. Free and open to all ages. Meet at the Tool Museum across the Trail from the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay.

Monday, September 22
1:30 Pre-recorded Lecture: Bats of Wisconsin
In this video presentation, Jennifer Redell, DNR bat biologist, will teach about the mysteries of bats. Free and open to the public. Meet in the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, Sturgeon Bay.

Tuesday, September 23
3:30 Environmental Exploration: Fallen Logs
This activity, geared for elementary-aged students but open to all ages, will explore the many creatures that make decaying logs their homes. Dress for the outdoors. It is free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan, Crossroads.

Wednesday, September 24                                                                                                            10:00 Junior Nature Club

This weekly program is for children ages 3-5 and their adult companions. Siblings are welcome. This week, the outdoor activity will be a search for shapes in nature. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads,  2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.

1:30 Wandering Wednesday
Join this naturalist-led hike through areas that were once an apple orchard but are now in various stages of restoration. About an hour. Free and open to all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay

As I sit down to write this article, we are surrounded by the headlines and responses to the recent violent events that have immersed our country in fear, anxiety, suspicion, and even hate. It is hard to know what to feel when the headlines of a violent act shake us as we are still reeling from the previous ones. There are many questions and speculations, yet none of this will bring us peace. Even in the application of our laws and punishments, which will be viewed as either too extreme or not extreme enough, we will find consolation. Violence begets violence. There is no path by which we can hate our way out of hate.

     
Discord has been a part of the human experience as long as two human beings have had to exist alongside each other. It rests within every relationship, marriage, and culture. The question is not how to eliminate discord, but rather how to engage in discord to sustain and strengthen our relationships, marriages, and culture.

     
As flawed humans, and yes, we are all flawed to one extent or another, we seek external solutions to our internal struggles. We attempt to control things that are out of our control, we try to manipulate realities that don’t align with our desires. We lash outward when the real struggle rests within us. It brings to mind a parable from the Cherokee Nation.

A young boy came to his grandfather, filled with anger at another boy who had dome him an injustice.

The old Grandfather said to his Grandson, “Let me tell you a story. I too at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and hate does not hurt your enemy, hate is like taking a poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with those feelings many times.

It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one wolf is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offence when no offence was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way. But the other wolf is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper.

He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, because his anger will change nothing. Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, because both wolves try to dominate my spirit.”

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which wolf will win?”

The Grandfather smiled and said, “The one I feed.”

Just as with any issues in our world, it can be very easy to get spun up on tings we have no control over. The only thing we can control is ourselves. We can and should influence those around us in such a way that we are a source of healing, not destruction. Our journey to a place of civility will be wrought with those cynics who have already given up. For the sake of our future generations, we must commit to a better path than the one we are watching unfold in front of us. Every long journey begins with the first step. Every movement begins with a single voice. Let our voices not be those of reactionary anger and retribution, but rather those of steadfast temperance, and courage.

Providing a space for you and your neighbors to enjoy is the goal of the vision being unveiled this month for the athletic complex across the street from Sturgeon Bay High School. After getting its viewing at the Sturgeon Bay School District Board meeting last week, the Sturgeon Bay Common Council will get its first look at the plans at Tuesday’s meeting. The plan calls for more than just new baseball, softball, and football fields for Sturgeon Bay High School students. The public-private partnership will also see pickleball courts, a fitness circuit, multi-use trails, pavilions, and more dot the property with parcels owned by the city and the school district. City Administrator Josh VanLieshout says the plan is ambitious, but it offers something for everybody to enjoy and checks off many boxes for residents who took surveys and attended open houses about the project.

If the Sturgeon Bay Common Council approves the master plan on Tuesday, VanLieshout says that will set the stage for engineering, additional planning, and bidding. He does not expect construction to take place until 2027 or 2028. You can learn more about the project before Tuesday’s 6 p.m. meeting at Sturgeon Bay City Hall here.

If you want to take the extra step to protect yourself from the flu, it is time to roll up your sleeve. Last year, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services reported more than 6,900 people were hospitalized with influenza during the previous flu season, including 4,200-plus individuals 65 years and older. Earlier this week, Door County Medical Center announced its vaccine clinic schedule for its drive-thru clinic, children’s center in Sturgeon Bay, and its clinic in Sister Bay. The clinics are currently scheduled for September and October.

Door County Public Health is ironing out the details of their own flu vaccine clinics, though they will be traveling to schools to vaccinate kids who have the approval of their parents. Public Health Nurse Holly Neri says vaccinating against the flu is important to protect yourself and others.

Neri says that while the flu vaccine is ready, more conversations are needed about the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine. She says more answers will be available after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meets on September 18th. According to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, the FDA has approved the COVID-19 vaccines for adults 65 and older and younger people with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe illness after recommendations for other groups were dropped earlier this year. 

You will still have to wait to see if Door County will receive funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Public Assistance program.

Yesterday, Governor Tony Evers announced that President Donald Trump and his administration approved his request for a major disaster declaration for counties impacted by recent severe storms and flooding. As a result of the storms that hit the state on August 9th, 1,500 residential structures were destroyed or significantly damaged in Milwaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties, with total damage costs estimated at over $33 million. When you include Door, Grant, and Ozaukee counties, the total damage costs rise to over $43 million.

Door County was included in the initial disaster declaration by Evers because of a confirmed tornado that touched down at Peninsula State Park during the storms on August 9th. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado carried peak speeds of 73 miles per hour, causing significant damage to powerlines and trees before traveling across Eagle Harbor as a waterspout.

According to the Evers administration, his request to receive Public Assistance to help support emergency work and the repair or replace disaster-damaged facilities in Door, Grant, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha Counties remains under review by the Trump Administration. The Democratic governor also requested assistance through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, which helps support flood mitigation measures, such as structure acquisition/demolition, structure elevation, and storm sewer upgrades. 

Could you see Door County’s school district count shrink from five to one or two, or Kewaunee County’s go from three to one in the future? It could be more easily done in the future under a Republican proposal being floated in Madison.

The new proposed legislation is encouraging the 421 public school districts to consolidate or, at the very least, share some of their services to drive down costs. Rep. Amanda Nedweski (R-Pleasant Prairie) told the Wisconsin Examiner that the state has dropped 53,000 students over the last decade. “Because student enrollment is the primary driver of our state’s school funding formula, districts experiencing declining enrollment receive less money in state aid,” Nedweski said.

Between 2016 and 2025, Luxemburg-Casco is the only school district in Door and Kewaunee counties that gained students, with three school districts losing approximately 100 seats during the same time. Wisconsin voters have been setting records for referenda in recent years, including the passage of 169 referenda in 2024, operational referendum questions for Washington Island and Sevastopol, and a capital referendum for Kewaunee. 

State Rep. Joel Kitchens, who is also one of the leaders behind the bill, does not think it will happen for many years locally, adding that it is more likely that schools in southwest Wisconsin will look into it. He says that the projections show the state’s student population dropping one percent every year for the foreseeable future, which could make it easier for Wisconsin school districts to make more complicated decisions.

Superintendent Dan Tjernagel says consolidation talks have been part of the county's discussion since he took the job over 10 years ago. He also believes the county is years away from considering that option, but he says the state needs to sort out the pros and cons of consolidation before the discussion goes deeper.

Other education-related bills being floated in Madison include a teacher’s bill of rights, a request to opt the state into the federal school choice program, an attempt to address a disparity in math competency, and a ban on drones flying over schools without permission.

It is time to find your bow and other gear ahead of the opening of deer hunting season on Saturday. September 13th marks the first day of the archery and crossbow season, which will run until January 4th. In between, hunters that use firearms (November 22nd-30th) and muzzleloaders (December 1st-10th) will also be able to bag a buck or doe. There will also be extra opportunities to hunt antlerless deer between December 11th and 14th, and again December 24th and January 1st. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Conservation Warden Chris Kratcha says deer advisory committees in Door and Kewaunee counties have decided that not only are the extra hunts necessary to control the local population, but that there should be extra free tags available to those who purchase a license.

Kratcha says that if you purchased your hunting license before the decision to issue the additional tags, you must log onto your account to claim them. In addition to deer, hunters are also able to track down bear (until October 7th), select migratory birds (seasons vary between now and January 2nd depending on species), wild turkey (September 13th-November 21st, November 22nd-January 4th), and small game (September 13th-February 28th). 

Whether navigating a corn maze, perusing a farmers market, picking apples or pumpkins at an orchard, or hopping over hay bales at a dairy farm, you do not have to travel far to have an ag-venture this fall. According to the  Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association, only 1.2% of the population works directly in growing row crops, specialty crops, or raising livestock, leaving more Americans on the sidelines when understanding where their food and other products come from. Thanks to farmers opening their operations to visitors, Wisconsin’s agritourism industry played a role in the state’s $25.8 billion tourism industry. Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy in Algoma encourages people to come out to their operation to learn more about what they do.

On October 4th, the dairy farm is hosting its first-ever Farm-Fit Challenge and Moo-Tober Fest. The Farm-Fit Challenge will introduce participants to some of the daily tasks farmers have to do as part of a two-mile course. That precedes a fall celebration featuring live music, food, family activities, and farm tours.

Heim’s Hillcrest Dairy owner Jeremy Heim says they are proud of the work they do, and they want more people not just to see it, but experience it up close.

The Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association and state leadership encourage you to get outside and experience Wisconsin's Agricultural Tourism Fall Season, which takes place September 11th- November 2nd. 

The United Way of Door County and its STRIDE Creative program might have an outlet for your child to explore if they suffer from anxiety or stress. Registration is now open for the  Mighty Teens Empowerment Project, a 6-week online art journal club sponsored by STRIDE Creative, a United Way of Door County program. Participants receive an art kit and access to weekly electronic reminders, including ZOOM links. Run by art therapist Jodi Rose Gonzales, the program uses drawing prompts and discussion to explore topics such as resiliency, coping skills, and emotional self-expression.

The Mighty Teens Empowerment Project runs September 29th through November 3rd on Monday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm. Registration is open until September 22nd at this link. 

Despite no elections to prepare for this fall, you will not find area Democrats slowing down their efforts to share their message. In addition to hosting weekly conversations in their Sturgeon Bay offices, Door County Democratic Party members have been lining the streets this summer, voicing their concern about the country's direction multiple times a week. The pop-up events have not just occurred in Sturgeon Bay but across the county as well. Door County Democratic Party Chairperson Kris Sadur says staying active in a non-election year is critical.

The Democratic Party of Door County is preparing for its annual fundraising event, which helps it raise funds for its operations and connects it with other Democrats in the area and around the state. This year’s event, which will take place at the Woodwalk Gardens in Egg Harbor on Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., will feature Wisconsin Governor candidate and current Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez, new Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairperson Devin Remiker, and Wisconsin State Senate candidate and Sturgeon Bay business owner Sean Grorich. You can find more details by clicking on the link.

What you may have lost can now be found again at the Door County YMCA. Last month, WPS Health Solutions and Wisconsin YMCAs agreed on a new partnership that provides customers of a WPS Wisconsin Medicare supplement insurance base plan with a complimentary membership, effective September 1st. The move comes after a brief reprieve of the offering, which forced many area members to either come up with the money or go without a membership. Kane Center Membership Director Josh Lardinois says many former members are returning to take advantage of the offering, saying it’s a win-win for everyone.

If you are not a WPS Health Solutions customer, Lardinois advises you not to fret, but instead to chat with the YMCA about other ways you become a member at a discounted rate. You can listen to our entire Y Wednesday interview here.

Available Tuesday night in Appleton and its locations in Green Bay and Sturgeon Bay on Wednesday, you can be among the first in the world to play a new game thanks to Gnome Games and The Gnoshery. Game publisher Looney Labs is releasing its latest edition of the Fluxx card game, this time with a feline tilt. Cat Fluxx is the newest of the 30-plus editions of the game, where the rules can change as the cards are played. According to the manufacturer, Cat Fluxx features cats sleeping on sunbeams, playing with balls of yarn, and squeezing into a cardboard box. It is the latest worldwide release showcased by Head Gnome Pat Fuge and his team at Gnome Games. He says his community outreach efforts are known worldwide, making publishers like Looney Labs interested in working with them. In this case, Fuge says they are working with a Green Bay area animal shelter to ensure game sales during the first week of Cat Fluxx’s release to help cats in the community.

Production issues will delay the game’s worldwide release until later this month. Still, Fuge’s event at a coffee house in Appleton on Tuesday night and the philanthropic efforts behind their promotion of Cat Fluxx allowed them to still release the game at their locations this week. Fuge says having worldwide releases begin at Gnome Games and The Gnoshery is exciting, especially when they can center it around something in the community.

The themes of public service and health care are what you will notice with this year’s Southern Door Alumni Hall of Fame inductees class. Samuel Alexander, Dr. Thomas F. Berns, Hugh Zettel, and Patricia Vickman have all been recognized for their contributions to their professions and communities while serving as role models for current and future students.

A 1976 graduate, Alexander was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Secret Service, and United States Attorney’s Office during his 30+ year career in government service. In the wake of 9/11, Alexander became an Intelligence Specialist to better protect the country against continued terrorist attacks.

A fellow Class of 1976 graduate, Zettel helped develop the world’s first high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. During his 36-year career with GE Healthcare, he was granted 11 other patents related to radiology imaging, remote service management, and computer-assisted surgery. He currently serves as a Door County Supervisor.

Vickman graduated from Southern Door in 1972 and never left the field of education. After starting her career as a teacher, she held administration roles with Oshkosh and Southern Door school districts before her retirement in 2021. In addition to her work with the Wisconsin Association of School Boards, Vickman is also active in the community, particularly with Door County Medical Center and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Door County.

Berns was the Class of 1968 valedictorian before being named one of the Top Doctors by Milwaukee Magazine. Berns served as President of the Wisconsin Radiological

Society was elected as a Fellow to the American College of Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America.

The Alumni Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on September 26, 2025, during the school day. A follow-up recognition announcement will be made at the football game that night.

The parks department in the Village of Sister Bay wants to show you their new digs as part of an open house on Thursday. McMahon Group, Stantec, and Alliance Construction and Design worked together to construct the $3.275 million facility near the Sister Bay Sports Complex on Autumn Court. It took 20 years to reach this point after talks about a new facility began in 2006. The department had been operating out of the old fire station after upgrading its facilities. Sister Bay Village Administrator Julie Schmelzer says the building will allow the department to keep all its equipment indoors and grow as the village does.

The new facility's open house will be held on Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. and will feature tours and light refreshments. 

U.S. Senator Ron Johnson believes you should hear both sides of the vaccine debate ahead of his third hearing related to the topic.

The Wisconsin Republican hosted his tele-town hall online on Monday, weighing in on national issues such as immigration, disaster aid, and the Epstein investigation. Much of the discussion was centered on his Tuesday hearing entitled “How the Corruption of Science Has Impacted Public Perception and Policies.” He said he will share a study from 2020 that shows that vaccinated children are more likely to suffer a chronic illness than those who are unvaccinated. The topic brought up additional questions about Johnson’s support for Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and potential links with vaccines to ailments such as autism and myocarditis. Johnson defended himself by saying that he is for innovation and he is not “anti-vax,” saying that his kids are vaccinated. He expressed his belief that science has been corrupted and should be explored further.

Wisconsin U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin has taken the opposite view of Johnson, calling for Kennedy’s resignation due to recent actions regarding vaccines, saying that “ you don’t restore trust in vaccines by spreading lies about their safety and efficacy.” You can watch the full Johnson tele-town hall below.

No matter where you were watching the USS COBIA float along Lake Michigan, Wisconsin Maritime Museum Executive Director Kevin Cullen says you helped ensure they were doing the right thing by protecting its legacy for generations. After high winds prevented the USS Cobia from making its trip to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding late last week, a tug boat towed the WWII-era submarine from the Wisconsin Maritime Museum early Sunday morning.

It received a fond farewell from its Manitowoc port, with hundreds of onlookers and dozens of boats wanting to participate in the experience. Cullen was a part of a flotilla that included the Sturgeon Bay-built Utopia before he drove up the coast, stopping in communities like Kewaunee and Algoma before eventually greeting the USS Cobia entering the Sturgeon Bay Canal. Cullen says that wherever he stopped, he could feel the excitement of the generational trip.

The USS COBIA is getting its hull pumped before the restoration work can begin later this week. While sitting in freshwater as opposed to saltwater extends the life of historic vessels like the USS COBIA, Cullen says algae and zebra mussels have likely caused some damage.

Cullen expects the USS COBIA to make the trip back to Manitowoc sometime in mid-October, depending on the work that needs to be done. 

The Door County Partnership for Children and Families took time on Saturday to thank you for your support while sharing its impact in the community. In the last ten years, more than 9,100 individuals have benefited from the partner program of the United Way of Door County.

This includes providing evidence-based parenting programs and hosting Parent and Words of Wisdom Café events to empower youth and adults. Saturday’s celebration included music, games, crafts, a magic show, and a retrospective on how they touched many lives. Community Connector Rebecca Paulsen shared her own story as a young mother living in Door County, battling homelessness, sudden tragedy, and other challenges. While her kids are grown up, she says she is privileged to connect families to services she could have used as she raised her family.

Community Connector Chad Welch also recognized the nearly 1,000 graduates of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which is run through the Door County Partnership for Children and Families. The United Way of Door County helps support the Partnership as one of its internal programs.

An incident involving a group of kids, an older man, and a chicken in the City of Kewaunee is a reminder to you to stay vigilant in your community. According to a post from the Kewaunee Police Department, their father dropped a group of kids off to play basketball at the school before he was quickly called back. The kids called after two teenage girls, one blonde and one brunette, approached them, asking them if they wanted to pet their chicken. The chicken was caged inside a greyish/gold minivan with a man standing near the vehicle's open hatch. The man was described to be 6’02” and having shaggy brown hair and a beard. People with information about the incident are encouraged to speak with Deputy Chief Dustin Smidle, using the complaint #25-05577. 

Many of your friends from around the world gathered in Sturgeon Bay last month to celebrate a common bond of travel and education thanks to the area’s Rotary Clubs.

Since 1975, 140 Door County and 100 international students have participated in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, allowing them to trade places to learn about each other’s cultures. Door County exchange students have lived in more than 28 countries, and students from more than 28 countries have come to live and study in Door County. 

Recently, the Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay hosted a celebration with 17 former students who were sponsored by the three Door County Rotary Clubs:  The Rotary  Club of Sturgeon Bay, The Sturgeon Bay Breakfast Rotary Club, and the Door County North Rotary Club. The event connected the dots between Aira Nordahl, the most recent Exchange student from Gibraltar High School in 2024, and Donald Propsom, the oldest former exchange student to participate when he traveled to Brazil in 1978 as a Sturgeon Bay High School student.

Sturgeon Bay High School Alum and past Rotary Youth Exchange student Chloe Staudenmeier said her time in Ecuador during the 2018-2019 school year was one of the most eye-opening experiences of her life. “Within the year, I gained new friends, a new family, new language proficiency, and countless opportunities that showed me the uniqueness of Ecuadorian culture while also enabling me to appreciate my American heritage,” she added.

Anyone interested in becoming a Rotary Youth Exchange student, or families interested in hosting students from other countries, may contact any of the Door County Rotary Clubs.

You can support the special needs community of Door County on September 13th at one of the biggest events Sunshine Resources of Door County puts on every year. Sunflower Fest was created after the organization moved its popular Corn Fest to Martin Park on Sturgeon Bay’s east side. While the event's name and location have changed, supporting quality opportunities for area individuals with disabilities and disadvantages remains the event's focus. Sunshine Resources’ Barry Metzentine and Jeremy Paszczak say the event goes a long way to accomplishing that mission.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Martin Park, Sunflower Fest attendees can listen to music from Big Mouth and Tool Horns, play in a cornhole tournament, participate in raffles and a cherry pie eating contest, say hi to the Door County Ghostbusters, and more. Those who want to be active before the event can also participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which opens at 8:30 a.m., before the step-off occurs at 10 a.m.

This week at Crossroads at Big Creek, we focus on and celebrate insects, which may seem strange to some folks who spend much of their time and money trying to eliminate them.

And I get that, sort of. Agricultural pests can be devastating. I’m currently battling Japanese beetles on my raspberries, and I try to avoid stepping on yellow jackets. But scientists tell us that of the millions of known species of insects, only about 10,000–30,000 are considered harmful. Put another way, a mere 1% of insects bite, sting, or spread diseases to humans. If you add forest and agricultural pests, maybe 3% of all insects are harmful.

That means the vast majority of insects are beneficial—as pollinators, decomposers, or vital links in the food chain … essential to life on Earth as we know it. And the rest are neutral, not helpful or harmful to humans or plants.

Gall-forming insects, which we’ll study during our Saturday Science family program on September 13 seem to fall into that neutral category—but they are particularly peculiar and fascinating. Take a walk this time of year, and you can’t help but notice that some leaves are covered with lumps, bumps, or spiky clusters.

For example, willows may have growths that look like pinecones; aspen trees can show abnormal swollen lumps that resemble “already-been-chewed bubblegum”; and especially obvious in late summer are the round balls that form on Canada goldenrod stems. Plus literally hundreds more. Galls!

Galls develop when an insect lays an egg on a plant's leaf, stem, or bud. When the egg hatches, the tiny larva secretes a chemical—technically not a hormone, but a hormone-like substance—that triggers the plant to produce extra cells, enlarge those cells, and direct extra sugars to the sturdy structure around the larva.

A gall is the perfect nursery. It hides and protects the larva from predators, shelters it from the weather [think climate-controlled comfort], and provides an unlimited supply of nutritious food until the larva pupates and eventually emerges as an adult insect.

During Saturday Science, participants will learn about various local galls—maybe even dissect a few-- and then venture into the preserve to find examples.

At our Tuesday after-school program, Environmental Exploration, families will explore Big Creek in the fall—when the water is quite low—giving young explorers a chance to search for aquatic insects that take refuge in the moist mud under the rocks.

Wednesday marks the kickoff of the Fall Session of Junior Nature Club. Preschool children and their adult companions will walk to the North Bridge. Because these young learners are fascinated by ants, grasshoppers, and anything that flies, our first gathering will undoubtedly become an insect adventure.

Thanks to our donors' generosity, Crossroads can provide free educational opportunities to learners of all ages. Our trails are also open all day, every day, free of charge.

Saturday, September 13

2:00 Science Saturday: Galls!

This program is intended for school-aged children, but learners of all ages are welcome. Discover insect galls in the lab, then head outdoors for a scavenger hike. Meet at the Collins Learning Center. Registration not required. Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, September 16

3:30 Environmental Exploration – Under Rocks

When Big Creek is no longer “big,” insects and other aquatic creatures lurk beneath the rocks. This outdoor adventure is geared toward elementary students, but learners of all ages are welcome. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

Wednesday, September 17

10:00Junior Nature Club

This family program is for children aged 3-5, but parents or guardians are expected to remain with the group throughout each class. Siblings and family members are welcome to participate. All should come dressed for outdoor exploration. If the weather is too bad to be outdoors, we will do nature-related activities inside. No reservations needed. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay.

1:30 Wandering Wednesday

Join this naturalist-led hike through Crossroads's trails. It is an easy walk and will take about an hour. It is free and open to all ages. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads, 2041 Michigan St., Sturgeon Bay.

If you have been planning to welcome a World War II-era submarine to Sturgeon Bay, you now have a date.

On Friday, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum announced that the USS Cobia will make its planned trip to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for dry dock repairs on Sunday. Wind speeds of more than 15 miles per hour, which are too fast for crews to complete their mission safely, prevented the submarine from making the trip on the initially scheduled date of September 4th. Wind speeds were worse on Friday, which triggered gale warnings during the morning hours. The USS Cobia will be towed to Sturgeon Bay at approximately 8 a.m. on September 7th. By around 6 p.m., the USS Cobia is expected to complete its 55 nautical mile journey to Sturgeon Bay, where it will spend about a month in dry dock for restoration work. 

The USS Cobia was used as a training vessel after serving in the Pacific theater during World War II. It was brought to the then-Manitowoc Maritime Museum in 1986, where it has hosted thousands of visitors every year for tours and overnight experiences. Like the Door County Maritime Museum’s Tug John Purves, the USS Cobia spends time docked outside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum year-round. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum raised approximately $1.5 million to tow it to and from Sturgeon Bay for maintenance, which has not happened since 1996. 

Picture courtesy of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum

September 7th through the 13th has been set aside as National Suicide Prevention Week. This is a difficult, yet important issue to discuss, as anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide can tell you that there are no clear indicators, and too often those left behind struggle with a deep sense of guilt. 

It is reported that every 12.8 minutes someone in our country dies by suicide, and that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for those 15-24 years of age.

For many, the act of reaching out for help is a struggle in itself. We, as a culture, attach a stigma to those struggling with depression or mental crisis. While we think nothing of seeking help for the pain caused by any number of physical ailments, the mere suggestion that someone seek professional help for the pain or suffering they are experiencing in their minds is taboo. We, as a culture, have been told to suppress these feelings, or that whatever pain we are feeling, it will pass.

Although everyone is different and their circumstances are unique, there are general warning signs that may be visible. Some may exhibit a sense of hopelessness, recklessness, or anger; other signs may be increased anxiety, withdrawal, or purposelessness. In some cases, individuals may attempt to harm themselves as a way to cry out for help, while in other cases, there are no threats of action, just the tragic event itself.

Throughout the years, I have had the unfortunate experience of notifying families of those who have taken their own lives. The lesson I draw from these incidents is always to take the time to help the person next to you, and never be too busy to stop and visit. Not just to ask how they are doing in passing, but to actually stop and listen to their answer to that question. Very few of us can claim to have the educational background to analyze or treat these afflictions, but every one of us has the ability to listen and lend support to those who are struggling, and to let them know we care.

As I feel this is such an important topic, I put myself through the certification to become a Suicide Prevention Instructor through the QPR Institute. I have conducted many classes over the years, and would be more than willing to present to any group or organization. Feel free to contact me at: (920)255-1100. On that note, two QPR presentations will be held in the upcoming weeks. The first is on September 9th at the Algoma High School Library. This event will begin at 6:00 PM, and all are welcome. The following presentation will be on September 14th at 5:00 PM, held at the Kewaunee High School.

For more information on suicide prevention and the resources available, visit: https://qprinstitute.com/

We have heard a great deal about the need for “Wellness,” but we should not forget that true wellness has four basic components: Physical, Mental, Social, and Spiritual. Each of these supports the other, and to be truly strong in one requires strength in the other two. Let’s all work together to sustain each other’s wellness above and beyond just the physical realm. In attending to our wellness, we also build up our own resiliency. These resiliency skills are the very foundation that we draw upon in times of adversity. I will take the next few weeks to cover some of these skills.

Your kids and furbabies are invited to kick off September at Peterson Park in Sturgeon Bay to support the Wisconsin Humane Society’s Door County Campus.

The Wisconsin Humane Society’s Pet Walk Door County on Sunday is one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers and comes at a critical time. Earlier this month, WHS officials pleaded for volunteer foster parents after more than 100 cats and kittens arrived as surrenders or strays, pushing the organization to over 1,500 animals under their care. Depending on the animal’s needs, it costs slightly more than $750 per cat to provide all the veterinary care, food, vaccines, spay/neuter surgery, and other benefits. Pet Walk Door County delivers some exercise for your family and your pet and offers different opportunities to interact with WHS, the Door County Sheriff’s Department K-9 Unit, and other pet-loving organizations and businesses. Event Coordinator Lori Nachtwey says Pet Walk Door County is also an excellent event for the kids, not just because a local business is covering their registration fee.

Inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, the latest hall commemorating Green Bay Packers legend Jerry Kramer is closer to your home. The Boys and Girls Club of Door County hosted a special dedication of Kramer’-signed helmet at Sturgeon Bay's David G. Hatch Center. Ian Wulf made the dedication possible on behalf of his father, Cap Wulf, to commemorate Kramer and other NFL alumni's impact on the Club’s mission for 16 years. Thanks to events like its celebrity golf outing, Kramer and NFL players past and present have helped the Club raise more than $2 million for its programming needs. The Boys & Girls Club of Door County serves over 200 youth annually, providing after-school programming, summer camp, mentorship opportunities, and safe spaces for young people to learn and grow. An Idaho native, Kramer says supporting causes that have a positive impact on kids has been a major focus of his over the years and one he is proud to be able to continue in Door County.

Johanna Wicklund, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Bay & Lakes Region, says Kramer’s support for the Boys and Girls Club of Door County cannot be measured.

 

 

 

 

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Since its founding a decade ago, Door County Partnership for Children and Families has been committed to providing you with the tools to become the parents you want to be for your kids.

More than 9,100 individuals have benefited from the partner program of the United Way of Door County in the last ten years. This includes providing evidence-based parenting programs and hosting Parent and Words of Wisdom Café events to empower youth and adults. United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle says one of the aspects of the program she is most proud of is their relationship with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which has enrolled more than 1,600 children to receive monthly book mailings for kids from the time that they are born to age five, producing more than 900 graduates along the way.

You will be able to find plenty of your favorite apple varieties in the coming days and weeks, but it took a little more effort this year to make sure it was a reality. In Casco, Hillside Apples owner Bill Roethle says plenty of their most popular varieties, like Honeycrisp, Cortland, and McIntosh, are hanging on the trees. In contrast, other lesser-known varieties like Wolf River struggled to produce a large number. Roethle says a lack of proper pollination due to cool temperatures and other factors may have been an issue for some of the trees, but still believes families that come to pick over the next six to eight weeks will find plenty of apples to snack on and cook with on the trees.

In Door County, Steve Wood from Wood Orchard in Sturgeon Bay says the storms caused him great concern for his trees, which produce the popular Rave, SweeTango, and Honeycrisp varieties. While the wind caused some damage and grounded a few apples, he also found plenty of apples to pick from the trees.

Many of the most popular varieties of apples will be available as soon as this weekend, while others might still be a week or two away. Wisconsin apple growers produce about 55 million pounds of apples every year.

A full garage on Ava Hope Trail was indicative of the collaboration occurring in Door County to make new affordable housing options available in your community. The organization hosted the open house at its newest home in the subdivision in the shadows of one home built last year and another that could be finished by the spring. Bringing affordable housing to Sister Bay started years before shovels broke ground. United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle explained to the audience that a Wisconsin Workforce Innovation Grant jump-started the effort to address housing and child care. The first two homes are owned by teachers at the nearby Northern Door Children’s Center, something Kohnle said accomplished what they were shooting for with the grant.

 

 

 

 

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Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Assistant Deputy Secretary Lee Sensenbrenner applauded the collaboration that made the home a reality, such as volunteer labor from Door County Habitat for Humanity, donations for organizations like the Sturgeon Bay Rotary and individuals like Barry and Mary Beth James, and state resources.

 

 

 

 

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Desirae Chapman and her family will be the home’s new owners, and she is happy to be able to raise her children in the community where she grew up.

 

 

 

 

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Door County Housing Partnership Treasurer Tom Fordney described the process as “a seven-layer cake,” one that has been baked to perfection.

Fordney said they have seven more plots on Ava Hope Trail to build on, with a potential condominium placed on one of them. Door County Housing Partnership (DCHP) is a community land trust dedicated to creating and preserving permanently affordable housing for the local workforce and modest-income families.   

Two months after the 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill was passed, you will still encounter conversations about its impact on your healthcare. Also called the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” the law reduced federal support for Medicaid and changed the eligibility requirements. Republicans say the changes will ensure the public insurance program’s existence for those who need it most. At the same time, Democrats point out that thousands will be unable to afford their insurance or be kicked off of it entirely as a result. The bill’s passage triggered a tour of the state by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin that included a stop at Door County Medical Center and a town hall event hosted by Citizen Action of Wisconsin at Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay last month. State Rep. Joel Kitchens says that while the Wisconsin Legislature has very little say on what happens at the federal level, he believes the recently passed budget helps fill in some of the gaps that are being left. In addition to millions of dollars to raise reimbursement rates for obstetric and opioid treatment services, he says increasing the hospital assessment will help hospitals like Door County Medical Center receive more federal matching funds, which can address their needs, such as offsetting Medicaid costs.

Wisconsin is among the health care leaders in the country, ranking ninth in health care systems and the eighth lowest cost of care. Kitchens also points out the state excels in insurance coverage, care coordination, and preventative services. 

In a community needing more housing, you will soon see more options rise in Luxemburg. RealtyHive and Tycore recently showcased their development project off Church Road that will bring 72 homes and 116 apartments to the village’s southside at the Luxemburg Chamber of Commerce meeting last month. They are currently in the first phase of the project, which has two of the six Lux Grand Apartments under construction, 28 housing lots in progress, with eight homes already sold and four other homes getting started. Tycore Director of Business Development Alex Ryczek says the project has been an interesting one for them because of the amount of bedrock they have had to blast in order to pour foundations and install in for homes and the apartment buildings. That also sets up more work behind the scenes, which can slow down or delay the project even more. Ryczek says he is happy that the development will be able to fulfill a need for the community in the future.

Kewaunee County officials have long tried to address the housing stock in its communities as they try to fill the need that area businesses have to attract a quality workforce, especially in the manufacturing sector. The Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation is undergoing its own process to address housing through Project HOMESTEAD. In the project's second phase, officials will evaluate the best opportunities available in Luxemburg, Kewaunee, and Algoma to expand their housing stock, particularly in the areas of affordable and workforce housing.

You will not see Wisconsin State Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley on the bench after the next election, but local Republicans hope you will find someone like her in her place. Over the weekend, Bradley announced she would not seek re-election for a new 10-year Wisconsin State Supreme Court term. According to the Associated Press, she decided not to run again because she believes her best path for her “to rebuild the conservative movement and fight for liberty is not as a minority member of the Court.” She had been on the court since 2015, when she was appointed by then-Governor Scott Walker, before winning a full term the following year. Kewaunee County Republican Party Chairperson Kirt Johnson hopes the party can find a new, conservative voice to win the seat and stop the trend of the high court becoming more liberal-minded.

With Bradley’s announcement, former Democratic lawmaker and State Appeals Court Judge Chris Taylor is the only candidate running for Wisconsin State Supreme Court in the spring election. Johnson says he is also keeping a close eye on the gubernatorial race, which is also an open seat after Governor Tony Evers announced he would not seek re-election. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley (D), Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez (D), Whitefish Bay businessman Bill Berrien (R), and Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann (R) have all announced their candidacies. At the same time, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, former U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, and former Gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels are rumored to be thinking about throwing their hats into the ring.

If you were planning on waiting for the arrival of a World War II-era submarine to a Sturgeon Bay shipyard on Thursday, your plans are changing. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum announced on Wednesday that the USS Cobia would not be making its planned trip to Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding for dry dock repairs due to the weather forecast. Wind speeds more than 15 miles per hour are expected, which are too fast for crews to complete their mission safely. The waters will not likely calm enough for September 5th, which was initially selected as a backup date. As of now, there is no future date planned. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum is coordinating with other agencies to pick a new date to ensure safe passage for the USS Cobia from Manitowoc to Sturgeon Bay when weather allows.

Though a bit of warmth would be nice, farmers hope the recent stretch of nice weather continues for the sake of the crops you depend on. The latest USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report shows that farmers had just over six days suitable for fieldwork last week, with northeast Wisconsin coming in at 6.7 days. The nice weather helped farmers in Door and Kewaunee counties nearly complete their third cutting of alfalfa and be ahead of much of the state with their fourth cutting. Corn condition is 83 percent good to excellent, while soybeans are about 84 percent good to excellent. Both crops are a little behind last year’s pace, but Josh Salentine from Salentine Homestead Dairy in Luxemburg says that, thanks to timely rain and sun poking through the Canadian wildfire smoke, they have been blessed this year so far.

Salentine says that with warmer temperatures, they could begin harvesting corn for silage in about two to three weeks. Corn dry-down events in Luxemburg and Sturgeon Bay will give a clearer picture of when farmers can start warming up their tractors. Farmers will have to battle rain and cooler temperatures over the next week, with highs not expected to get much above 70 degrees.

With Midsummer’s Music reaching the end of the summer, you will now see the Griffon String Quartet more often in the community, spreading the joy of music. Over the next several months, members of the Griffon String Quartet will participate in over 100 events in Door and Brown counties, playing everywhere from churches and halls to nursing homes. The group will explore four different spaces in Green Bay, Egg Harbor, and Sturgeon Bay later this month with a familiar face as a collaborator. Eric Lewis has performed with the Griffon String Quartet several times, including at this year’s Big Top event in Egg Harbor. Midsummer’s Music Executive Director Allyson Fleck says you can tell that Lewis and the Griffon musicians enjoy playing with each other whenever they can share the stage.

Just because summer has turned into fall does not mean your kids must stop swimming. In addition to being a crucial life skill if you spend a lot of time around the water, swimming can also help you have improved health, strength, coordination, confidence, and enhanced cognitive growth and emotional well-being. The good news is that there is still space for kids to enroll in swim classes, so the progress they made this summer does not go for naught. Aquatics Director Heidi Honold says there is a bridge program for kids who have completed swim lessons but are not necessarily ready to join the Door County swim team.

Honold says that to make all of the Door County YMCA’s swim programs happen, they need more swim lesson teachers and lifeguards. Like signing up for swim lessons, Honold encourages people to log online or enter the Door County YMCA’s facilities in Fish Creek or Sturgeon Bay to apply. You can learn more about the Door County YMCA’s swim programming by listening to this week’s Y Wednesday podcast.

You likely encountered school buses and smiling children on your commute on Tuesday as school districts welcomed back students for the first time since June.

Teachers and administrators celebrated the first day of school with their new students from Kewaunee to Washington Island and every district in between. You can count the first day of school among the favorite days for Kewaunee School District Superintendent Scott Fritz. District administrators like Fritz work through the summer in preparation for the new school year. In his case, Fritz has been working on projects related to their most recently passed referendum, which includes work on a new transportation hub later this fall. Until this point, Fritz says he has been going to work, but it has just felt like any old building until the teachers arrived over the last two weeks, and students made their school year debut on Tuesday.

For Sturgeon Bay High School Principal Keith Nerby, the dawn of a new school year it is a fresh start for students and staff.

The first day of school also reminds motorists to slow down in school zones and stop for school buses picking up or dropping off students. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, vehicles approaching a stopped school bus displaying flashing red warning lights should give the bus at least 20 feet and remain stopped until the bus moves forward again or turns off its flashing red warning lights.

After nearly 25 years in the position, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht is retiring from his post. Hecht is still on the mend after suffering a medical episode during an Indianapolis conference five months ago that was later diagnosed as a ruptured brain aneurysm. He has served much of his life in public service, joining Door County Emergency Medical Services in the late 1980s before joining the Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department as a firefighter in 1992. In the department’s announcement, Hecht was saluted for creating the countywide CPR program and forming a county response team with the assistance of the Door County Fire Chiefs Association. Assistant Fire Chief Mike Goldstone, who joined the department in 1999, has been elevated to the Fire Chief post due to Hecht’s retirement.

You can support the Hecht family by donating to his GoFundMe here.

All 26 pieces will dock along Martin Park on September 20th, marking their final voyage of the year at Sturgeon Bay Harvest Fest. You can learn more about the pieces and place your bids at this link.

*Photos taken by photographer Rachel Lukas*

Just because kids go back to school on Tuesday does not mean you will see the Door County YMCA stop ensuring they have a full stomach. The Door County YMCA wrapped up its successful season of the Summer Foods Program earlier this month, feeding hundreds of kids across Door and Kewaunee counties. It was possible thanks to more than 50 dedicated volunteers and partners like the Boys and Girls Club, local child care centers such as Doorway to Learning, churches, and food pantries like Algoma United Methodist Church, and area school districts. In the fall, kids can still rely on the Door County YMCA for free after-school meals at the Boys and Girls Club and its program centers in Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek. Mission Advancement Executive Brett Cleveland says better-fed kids lead to better outcomes.

The free afterschool meals are available to any student in the community from 3 pm. to 5 p.m. Cleveland says its food programs are just another example of the impact its annual campaign has on the community. You can learn more about it by listening to Y Wednesday podcast here.