Much like their colleagues in Kewaunee County, the challenge of recruiting and retaining high-quality employees is one of the issues the four candidates running for Door County sheriff would like to tackle if elected in November.

 

Republican candidates Curt Vandertie and Carl Waterstreet, Democratic candidate and incumbent Sheriff Tammy Sternard, and independent candidate Randy Wagner all mentioned staffing as one of the biggest challenges facing the Door County Sheriff's Department and other law enforcement agencies. Waterstreet paired that challenge with the budget, adding that the department has to be creative to fill roles without increasing the burden on taxpayers.

 

 

Vandertie says one of the strongest foundations of any organization is its people, adding that improving the culture within the department can help attract new recruits.

 

 

Sternard recognizes the challenges she has faced hiring new deputies and jail staff, saying the department needs to become more aware of what is happening and determine what it needs to do differently.

 

 

Wagner says promoting a culture of personal growth could be key to retaining more staff and attracting new hires.

 

 

Vandertie and Waterstreet will face each other in the Aug. 11 Republican primary, while Sternard will be unopposed in the Democratic primary. The winners will join Wagner on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.

 

You can listen to all four candidate interviews on our podcast page and watch their candidate forum with the League of Women Voters of Door County below.

 

 

Multiple agencies are searching for two kayakers who went missing near Wickman Drive on Washington Island Saturday night.
Washington Island police, fire and ambulance personnel were called to the area at approximately 6:50 p.m. Emergency personnel were told the two missing kayakers went out without life jackets. Crews conducted their own search operations until nearly 10 p.m.
The United States Coast Guard then took over the search, conducting operations until 2:30 a.m. The Coast Guard resumed the search at 7:30 a.m. before suspending operations at 10:45 a.m.
Search operations have since continued with assistance from the Washington Island Fire Department, Egg Harbor Fire Department, Ephraim Fire Department, Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Department, Gibraltar K-9 Search Team and Jacksonport Fire Department, along with the Gibraltar Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Door County Sheriff’s Office and Door County Emergency Management.
Crews are searching for a 20-year-old man who is approximately 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds. He was last known to be wearing khaki shorts and has brown hair.
The woman is 20 years old and is described as 5 feet, 1 inch tall and weighing 95 pounds, with brown hair. She was possibly wearing a teal or red/pink swimsuit.
Washington Island Police Chief Gary Schultz says search operations will continue until further notice. More information will be released when it becomes available.

You can play a bigger role in helping pet owners find their furry best friends when they go missing.

 

The Door County Scottie Rally announced Wednesday that its lost pet microchip scanning station is now open for use in Baileys Harbor. A first of its kind in northeast Wisconsin, the station is located on the north side of the Town Hall building near the fire station, where people can use it 24/7 to help connect lost pets with their owners.

 

Door County Scottie Rally President Michele Geiger-Bronsky says she read about a similar station being installed elsewhere in the country and felt it would be a good fit for an area that sees its fair share of dogs and other pets that either call Door County home or come along with their owners on vacation.

 

 

The sign attached to the station has step-by-step instructions on how to scan a pet, along with additional resources and information to help Good Samaritans reunite pet owners with their animals.

 

The station is just a small part of the philanthropy shown by the Door County Scottie Rally, which attracts dozens of dogs from around the country to Baileys Harbor for its annual spring event. Since 2001, the organization has donated more than $648,000 to Scottish Terrier health research and Scottie rescue while also supporting other pet-related causes in Door County.

 

Picture courtesy of Door County Scottie Rally

For the second time in three years, you will be able to enjoy the music of Johnny Cash with bayside views at Peninsula Players Theatre in Fish Creek.

 

Starring Aja Alcazar, Joe Casey, Trevor Lindley Craft, James David Larson and Paul Wyatt, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash uses more than two dozen of Cash's songs to bring the spirit of the Man in Black to the stage.

 

Last year, it was the Broadway hit Million Dollar Quartet that brought the story of Cash to the stage as part of an ensemble featuring Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Speaking before the season, Artistic Director Linda Fortunato said it was exciting to highlight Cash's song catalog once again.

 

 

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash runs Tuesdays through Saturdays through Aug. 16.

Plants shape the character of Door County. From white cedars clinging to the Niagara Escarpment and sugar maples shading forest trails to native wildflowers brightening meadows and wetlands, plants provide food, shelter, beauty, and the foundation for every ecosystem. This week’s Summer at Crossroads theme, Plants, invites visitors to discover the remarkable lives of plants and the important role native species have played in Door County’s natural history.

 

The week begins with a Tale. At 2 pm on Monday, August 10, enjoy “Plants Can’t Sit Still,” written by Rebecca E. Hirsch and illustrated by Mia Posada read aloud. This engaging story reveals the surprising ways plants move, from sunflowers tracking the sun to seeds traveling on the wind, water, and wildlife. Through colorful illustrations and fascinating examples, readers will discover that plants are far more active than they might appear. For those unable to attend Story Time, the book will also be featured on our Trail Tales storybook walk all week long beginning at the West Trailhead.

 

At 1 pm on Tuesday, August 11, Journeys with Joan will explore Finding Fossils. Naturalist Joan Wilkie will guide participants in discovering how ancient plants and animals from a long-vanished sea became the fossils we find throughout Door County today. As participants learn about life hundreds of millions of years ago, they will gain a deeper appreciation for the historic landscapes that came before.

 

On Wednesday, August 12, at 1:30 pm, participants in Wandering Wednesday will join a naturalist-led hike focused on the plants that make Crossroads unique. August is an excellent time to observe native wildflowers, woodland plants, and wetland vegetation. Along the trail, hikers may encounter species such as goldenrod, asters, jewelweed, and native grasses while learning how these plants support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Participants will also explore how Door County’s soils, geology, and proximity to both Green Bay and Lake Michigan create conditions that support a rich diversity of plant life.

 

The week concludes with a special Thursday Talk at 2 pm on August 13. Dina Boettcher and Ruth Wasson of the Door County Master Gardeners Association will present Heritage Garden, a guided tour and discussion of the Heritage Garden at Heritage Village at Big Creek. Participants will discover how plants were traditionally grown and used by early Door County settlers for food, medicine, and household purposes. The program will highlight heritage plant varieties, period-inspired garden design, and the practical ways families worked with the land and seasons to sustain themselves. Through storytelling, gardening knowledge, and hands-on observation, visitors will gain a deeper appreciation for how plants connect history, culture, and sustainability.

 

Throughout the week—and all summer long—visitors can also enjoy Tinkers, our self-led, hands-on activities designed for curious minds. Guests can investigate seeds, leaves, flowers, and plant adaptations while exploring the many ways plants grow, reproduce, and interact with the world around them.

 

Plants may seem rooted in place, but they are dynamic and essential members of every ecosystem. They capture sunlight, produce oxygen, stabilize soil, provide habitat, and nourish countless forms of life. In Door County, native plants help define the peninsula’s distinctive landscapes, from shoreline bluffs and cedar forests to wetlands and prairies. By learning more about the plants that surround us, we gain a deeper understanding of the natural communities that make Door County such a special place.

 

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we can offer free programming for all ages, and our trails are open all day, every day, free of charge.

 

Monday, August 10

2:00 pm Tale: “Plants Can’t Sit Still”

Join us as our weekly story, Plants Can’t Sit Still written by Rebecca E. Hirsch and illustrated by Mia Posada, is read aloud.

 

You might be surprised by all ways plants can move. Plants might not pick up their roots and walk away, but they don’t sit still! Discover the many ways plants (and their seeds) move. Whether it’s a sunflower, a Venus flytrap, or an exotic plant like an exploding cucumber, this fascinating picture book shows just how excitingly active plants really are. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. 

 

Tuesday, August 11

1:00 pm Journeys with Joan – Finding Fossils

Join our naturalist, Joan Wilkie, for free family-oriented activities exploring nature!

Discover how plants and animals from an ancient sea transformed into the fossils we find at Crossroads. Registration is not required. Open to the public and free thanks to donors like you! Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. 

 

Wednesday, August 12

1:30 pm Wandering Wednesday

Join a naturalist-led hike. Easy walking. About an hour. Well-behaved dogs allowed on leash. Registration is not required. Open to the public and free. Meet at the Collins Learning Center, Crossroads at Big Creek, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.

 

Thursday, August 13

2:00 pm Talk: Heritage Garden

Step back in time and discover how gardens once shaped daily life in Door County! Join Dina Boettcher and Ruth Wasson of the Door County Master Gardeners Association for a guided tour and discussion of the Heritage Garden at Heritage Village at Big Creek, part of the Door County Historical Foundation.

 

This special program will explore how plants were traditionally grown and used for food, medicine, and household purposes, offering insight into the practical and cultural importance of historic gardening practices. Dina and Ruth will highlight heritage plant varieties, period?inspired garden design, and the ways early settlers worked in harmony with the land and seasons.

 

Through storytelling, plant knowledge, and hands?on observation, participants will gain a deeper appreciation for how gardens connect history, culture, and sustainability. Whether you’re interested in gardening, local history, or both, this program brings the past to life through the plants that sustained it.

 

Join us for a stroll through history and discover how heritage gardens preserve stories, skills, and seeds for future generations. Meet at Heritage Garden at Heritage Village (across from the Collins Learning Center), 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay.

Birch Creek Music Performance Center is not the only place in Door County where you will be able to tap your toes to jazz music next week.

 

The Door County Jazz Festival returns for its second year, kicking off with a documentary screening Sunday before six straight days of free concerts across the peninsula, including gigs in Ephraim, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Baileys Harbor and Sturgeon Bay.

 

This year, the festival is celebrating the music of Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Tony Bennett, with musicians including the Aaron Hedenstrom Quintet, The Harmon Brothers, Aubrey Johnson, Alyssa Allgood and Paul Marinaro helping to fill the bill.

 

Bringing a jazz festival to Door County has been a dream come true for organizer Staci Griesbach, who hopes the event and its accompanying Door County Jazz Foundation continue to grow.

 

 

The shows are free to attend, but the Door County Jazz Foundation will take up a special collection to support United Way Fox Cities as it assists the community following Monday's tornado in Appleton and Menasha.

 

You can learn more about the Door County Jazz Festival on our podcast page.

I just returned from my annual training exercise with the Wisconsin National Guard. The ability to serve my country and state at this point in my life remains one of my greatest honors, as well as one of my greatest challenges. I am privileged to serve among some of the finest men and women, and I hope they learn as much from me as I do from them.

 

One of the activities we engaged in during our time was land navigation. This is one of my favorite basic warrior tasks because it has not changed a great deal over time, regardless of advances in technology. While so many of us automatically revert to our smartphones and the navigation programs they provide, our military training takes us back to the basics with a compass, map, and protractor. We also work as a team, with one person focused on the compass and another focused on the distance. For any of you who know me or have read any of my articles, you know by now that I am about to turn this into an exercise in life lessons, so here we go.

 

The first step in any navigation is knowing where you are, or as we call it, acclimation. This may be easy when holding a map, but it can get a little tricky when we are navigating life, especially in the early part of our journey. This process of personal "acclimation" is one of soul-searching to know who we have been, who we are, and who we hope to be. Once we answer these foundational questions, we can then determine our direction of travel. In land navigation, we base this direction on what is called "magnetic north." In life's journey, we need to base it on our "moral north."

 

Each of us has our own moral north. It is built upon our foundational beliefs, values, traditions, and virtues. Every step we take and every decision we make must first be aligned with that moral north. If not, we will undoubtedly go off course and languish in a reality that may have presented itself as the easier path but ultimately did not align with our moral north. Just as in land navigation, once you are off course, your probability of success quickly diminishes. Although you may strike out on a direction that is a certain number of degrees off magnetic north, that new direction is still based on the foundation of the original bearing. The same is true in life and in our need to maintain an adherence to—and relationship with—our own moral north, regardless of the many easy paths that tempt us along the journey.

 

The second component of land navigation is the need for a pacer. This person establishes a pace count per 100 meters, which allows you to determine how far you have traveled and how much farther you must go on your journey. This is important because not knowing runs the risk of either overshooting your destination or coming up short. Either way, you miss your target. In life, we would call this goal-setting. We need to set our goals at a level that is both challenging and reasonable. If we set our goals too close, no real gain is made. However, if we set our goals too far in the distance, we risk making them unattainable.

 

At each point on the map, we pause and set our compass for the next leg of the journey. It is at this time that we verify we are, in fact, still on course because, if we are not, every step moving forward will also be off course. In life, we must do the same. We must pause and take stock of our journey thus far, making sure that we have not compromised our moral north and that we are, in fact, still "on course" in life's journey.

 

There are so many temptations in life that cause us either to violate our moral north or, in some cases, to drift just a few degrees from our intended direction. In both cases, we must have the discipline to first know our moral north, then chart a path in accordance with it, and finally resist straying from it. Each is a deliberate and conscious decision.

 

For those of you just getting started on this amazing journey of life, I offer the following advice: Know who you are and what you stand for, and don't violate your moral north for anyone or anything. And finally, when given the choice, follow the path less traveled.

Former Southern Door, Notre Dame, and NFL football player Jim Flanigan will be among those honored as part of the festivities surrounding the Wisconsin-Notre Dame game at Lambeau Field in September.

 

The 2016 Southern Door Alumni Hall of Fame member will receive the Determination Award for his perseverance on and off the football field as part of the Knute Rockne Memorial Society Spirit of Sports Awards in Green Bay on Sept. 5.

 

Before earning honorable mention All-American honors at Notre Dame and beginning a 10-year NFL career that included one season with the Green Bay Packers, Flanigan starred for the Eagles. He led the team with 215 rushing yards and had a hand in all three touchdowns in a 17-7 state championship victory over Westby in 1989.

 

Knute Rockne Memorial Society Executive Director and Notre Dame football historian Jim Lefebvre says Flanigan's experience served him well in South Bend.

 

 

The Knute Rockne Memorial Society Spirit of Sports Awards are part of a larger weekend celebrating Notre Dame football in Green Bay, including a history night on Sept. 3 in Green Bay and a golf event in Menasha on Sept. 4. Door County Baseball League scribe Herb Gould will be one of the three authors featured at the history night on Sept. 3. He will be discussing his book "Lambeau: The Epic Life of Earl
Louis "Curly" Lambeau, the Man Who Invented the Green Bay Packers." Lambeau
played one season under Knute Rockne at Notre Dame and took that experience with him to Green Bay when he founded the Packers. You can find information about all three events at this link. 

While strawberries, cherries and apples have been agritourism mainstays for decades, lavender is carving out its own path. Reaching its peak from mid-July to early August, lavender farms are becoming increasingly popular in Wisconsin. While the Midwest's largest lavender producer calls Washington Island home, you can also catch the familiar purple hue dotting the landscape in communities such as Kewaunee, Pulaski, Kiel and Baraboo.

 

Glen Innish Farms owner Amber Hewett is one of the newest entrants after planting five different varieties of lavender in 2021 before settling on two varieties to cultivate two years later. Hewett says it has been a great complement to their operation, as lavender can be used for culinary and self-care purposes.

 

 

Many lavender fields are open for you-pick events in the coming weeks before the season comes to a close. That includes this weekend's Lavender Festival at Glen Innish Farms.

You have just over a week remaining to catch some of the best musicians in the Midwest at Birch Creek Music Performance Center. The second big band jazz session is down to just 15 performances across the county before the curtain closes on the academy season Aug. 8, including seven full shows on its Egg Harbor campus.

 

Hundreds of students and faculty members called Birch Creek home this summer, traveling from across the country to participate in one of the four summer sessions. Executive Director Jenna Ferdon says it is a bittersweet moment for her and the staff after dedicating the other nine months of the year to ensuring these three months are special and rewarding for the students they serve.

 

 

Just because the summer academy season ends next week does not mean the learning stops at Birch Creek. Adult retreats begin the following week, with free concerts featuring the wind ensemble Aug. 15, chamber music Aug. 20 and piano Aug. 24.

Your options in the Democratic gubernatorial primary are shrinking by the week after former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes dropped out of the race Thursday. The news came after the gap between him and front-runner State Rep. Francesca Hong grew to double-digit percentage points following a candidate debate in Milwaukee earlier this week.

 

"We're incredibly proud of all the things that we've accomplished and all the resources that we have raised to spread our message," Barnes said in a video posted on X. "But it's become very clear who our nominee is going to be."

 

According to the Marquette University Law School Poll, Hong has the support of 38% of likely Democratic primary voters statewide, while Barnes has 16% and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley has 7% after he re-entered the race following the exit of Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez. State Sen. Kelda Roys and former Department of Administration Secretary Joel Brennan also remain in the race.

 

The winner of the Democratic primary on Aug. 11 will face likely Republican nominee and current U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany.

A 21-year-old man from Melrose Park, Illinois, died Thursday after drowning in Krohn's Lake in Kewaunee County.

 

The Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department was called to Krohn's Lake County Park in the Town of Pierce at approximately 4:35 p.m. According to the caller, the man had gone into the water but did not come back out.

 

The sheriff's department said multiple people tried to help the man, but the silty composition of the lake bottom made rescue efforts difficult.

 

The Door County Dive Team, underwater drone units from Brown County, the Algoma Police Department, the Algoma Fire Department and Algoma Rescue assisted the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department in locating the man and recovering him from the water.

 

The man's identity is not being released until his family has been notified. The incident remains under investigation by the Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department.

Emergency Medical Specialists, S.C. (EMS) will become the new provider of emergency services at Door County Medical Center at midnight Saturday, but President and CEO Brian Stephens says you will still recognize many of the faces standing by to help you.

 

DCMC announced the new partnership Thursday, marking the end of Envision Health's role in providing physician and advanced practice clinician (APC) coverage for the hospital's Emergency Department, Urgent Care and DirectCare services.

 

The Wauwatosa-based EMS is well established in the state, operating at 21 hospitals in Wisconsin, including many in the Fox Cities and Milwaukee areas. Stephens says many of the same physicians and clinicians you have seen at the Emergency Department, Urgent Care and DirectCare facilities are staying on.

 

 

Stephens adds that DCMC is working with EMS to improve the patient experience when patients need emergency care the most.

 

 

Door County Medical Center was recently recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as one of 44 Wisconsin hospitals to earn a five-star rating for nurse communication, according to a list compiled by Becker's Hospital Review.

Residents in Brown, Door and Kewaunee counties are finding any way they can to improve the lives of those impacted by tornadoes earlier this week in the Fox Cities. One of those ways is as simple as bringing children who have lost everything a new toy.

New Franken's Rick Brunner has been running his nonprofit, Rick's Toy Box Inc., since 2011 as a creative outlet to inject positivity into people's lives after he began dealing with several health issues all at once. Thousands of toy cars have been distributed around the world in the years since, but Brunner's trip to Appleton and Menasha was a different experience.

Many times, the toys he and his volunteers build get packaged up and sent overseas or given to police officers to distribute as they see fit. This time, it was Brunner who spent Wednesday with a smile on his face and enough activity cars and tabletop basketball games to brighten the day for about 300 children.

He got to see the destruction and the gratitude firsthand as he visited hotels, motels, the Boys & Girls Club of the Fox Valley, and pop-up street-corner supply stations in hopes of making someone's day brighter. In moments like these, Brunner says children can be forgotten, and he hopes the toys he gave away are the start of brighter days ahead.
 

You can help support Brunner's efforts to build more toys for children affected by Monday's storms and other difficult situations by clicking here.

Brunner is far from the only person trying to make a difference in the wake of the destruction in the Fox Cities. Sturgeon Bay Utilities has been assisting Menasha Utilities and other companies restore power to communities that have been without electricity since Monday's EF2 tornado ripped through the area.

Door County Candle's Wisconsin Strong candle has raised more than $5,000 to assist with recovery efforts. Owner Christiana Trapani says they are working with nonprofits in the Fox Cities to determine the best way to distribute the funds raised.

You can find more information on how to support the recovery efforts here.

 

Picture courtesy of Rick's Toy Box

As it celebrates vessels of yesteryear, the Door County Maritime Museum's Classic and Wooden Boat Show is becoming vintage itself.

 

With fiberglass boats of the Jet Age as its focus, the Classic and Wooden Boat Show is celebrating its 35th year. The colorful, post-World War II watercraft inspired by 1950s automotive and aerospace design will be among the dozens of boats guests can admire during the two-day event.

 

The Classic and Wooden Boat Show also features a boathouse sale, U.S. Coast Guard demonstrations, food and beverages, and Sunday's Sikaflex Build-a-Boat Contest. Just as the classic and wooden boats that will fill the museum grounds on Saturday and Sunday have stood the test of time, Door County Maritime Museum Deputy Director Sam Perlman says so has the festival that celebrates them.

 

 

The Classic and Wooden Boat Show is just one part of a busy slate of activities during Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week. Other events include the Door County Mariner Honors Dinner and sail races at the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club, the Salute to the Coast Guard Golf Outing, a special military-themed Concert in the Park, and the U.S. Coast Guard Picnic.

Amy Hutson's third move in three years at Sturgeon Bay's St. John Bosco School could very well be her last after taking on the role of principal this summer.

With a career in education that includes a stint with the Diocese of Madison, Hutson moved to northeast Wisconsin to be closer to her family in Green Bay. She had never been to Sturgeon Bay before touring St. John Bosco, and she instantly fell in love with the school. After one year teaching kindergarten and another teaching second grade, Hutson is ready for her next step as principal.
 

Hutson greeted prospective families earlier this week during St. John Bosco's open house as the school prepares for the upcoming school year with a few more seats to fill. She is excited to begin the school year with an all-school Mass on Aug. 26.

Two feuding pizzerias in Door County have made amends after a trademark dispute earlier this summer.

 

Wild Tomato Pizza announced on social media Wednesday that it had "reached a mutually agreeable resolution and established a positive path forward for both businesses and their employees" with Ooluru Pizza, formerly Wild Man Pizza.

 

Wild Tomato Pizza filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in Green Bay's U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin in April against Ooluru Pizza, arguing that its former Wild Man name and logo had caused confusion among customers.

After trading social media barbs during the spring, the resolution came following mediation in June.

 

In its statement, Wild Tomato Pizza said both businesses have united and understand they need to be the ones to lead the change when it comes to positive and constructive discussions moving forward.

 

"There is no need for negative and amplified negative, hate speech, and claims of violence. We are a united Door County community of local businesses and will always work together to ensure a positive environment and outcome for all parties."

 

 

The announcement comes nearly two weeks after Red Oak Winery, which owns The Ooluru, announced it is shutting its doors in Carlsville in September. The owners are looking to relocate The Ooluru to Green Bay.

It did not come down the way they would have preferred, but Monday's rain was a welcome sight for farmers across northeast Wisconsin.

 

The USDA Crop Progress and Condition Report for Wisconsin once again indicated it was a good week for fieldwork, with 6.7 days suitable for work in the fields. That allowed farmers to move ahead of the five-year average for the winter wheat harvest, which is now 51% complete, and the second cutting of alfalfa, which is 95% complete. It also helped crops continue to progress, with corn silking reaching 52%, soybean blooming at 78% and oat coloring at 83%.

 

While the dry weather made it easier to get work done, the USDA also reported dry soils and stressed plants because of the recent lack of precipitation combined with warm temperatures.

 

Monday's rain provided welcome relief for those crops, with parts of Kewaunee County receiving 1 to 3 inches of rain. The accompanying winds and hail caused problems for some farmers, though Salentine Homestead Dairy owner Josh Salentine said his operation escaped major damage for the most part. However, he added that this is a crucial time of year for crops to receive the water they need.

 

 

The condition of corn (74% good to excellent), soybeans (70%), oats (79%), winter wheat (79%) and hay (73%) all declined by 1 to 5 percentage points from the previous week due in part to the previous lack of rain.

 

Farmers may have another opportunity to thank Mother Nature later this week, with more rain in the forecast for Friday and Saturday.

Celebrating Sturgeon Bay's history on the water begins Thursday when Destination Sturgeon Bay welcomes the community for the Sail Through the Avenues Sidewalk Sales. From 9 a.m. until 4 p.m., the annual precursor to Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week shuts down Third Avenue between Jefferson Street and Michigan Street as businesses put some of their best deals outside alongside food vendors, nonprofit organizations and more. Destination Sturgeon Bay's Alexa Soto says it is like having an extra day of the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market this week, which will still take place Saturday.
 

While much of the attention will be on Third Avenue, Soto adds that businesses on Madison Avenue, Jefferson Street and Egg Harbor Road will also be participating in the event. Maritime Week is a week-plus-long celebration of Sturgeon Bay's maritime past with activities that also include the Classic and Wooden Boat Show at the Door County Maritime Museum, the Door County Mariner Honors Dinner and sail races at the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club, the Salute to the Coast Guard Golf Outing, a special military-themed Concert in the Park, and the U.S. Coast Guard Picnic.

The heavy police and fire presence you saw at the corner of Gordon Road and State Highway 42/57 was all for a special cause on Tuesday.

 

Law enforcement personnel from Door and Kewaunee counties joined forces to celebrate the 10th annual Cops at Culver's Day. Uniformed members of the Sturgeon Bay Police Department, Town of Gibraltar Police Department, Door County Sheriff's Department and Kewaunee County Sheriff's Department worked through the lunch hour, delivering food to tables and cars in exchange for tips to help buy gift cards for families in need during the holiday season.

 

The Lights of Christmas Program started at Q90 FM as a way not only to do something nice for the community during the holidays, but also to promote positive relationships between the community and local law enforcement. Door County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Kyle Veeser says it is a great way for officers to connect with each other and the people they serve.

 

 

While the final totals will be announced in the coming days, Veeser hopes they can top last year's $4,362.35, which was the third-highest total in the state behind Waupun ($7,001) and De Pere ($4,745.19).

 

In 2025, the Lights of Christmas Program had 115 participating police departments that distributed $300,000 in gift cards and 1,000 backpacks to their communities. That is an increase from 75 departments distributing $225,000 in gift cards and 1,000 backpacks in 2024. You can donate to the Lights of Christmas campaign at this link.

 

Summer might be winding down, but the Door County YMCA is still focused on getting people into the pool.

 

In this week's Y-Wednesday podcast, Abby Cuccaro introduced herself as the new Sturgeon Bay aquatics director. Cuccaro moved to the area a year ago and is a former competitive swimmer. After discovering her passion for aquatics at the Door County YMCA, she decided to dive into the position.

 

She also discussed upcoming swim lessons, including the center's Super Swims program, which condenses the traditional lesson schedule into a weeklong intensive program for children learning to swim.

 

Competitive Swim Team Coach Mike McHugh also joined the conversation, highlighting the conclusion of the Door County YMCA's Peak Performance Clinic and the start of the swim team's fall prep program.

 

You can listen to the full podcast by clicking this link.

The four candidates running for Door County sheriff have had plenty of time to hear from the people they hope to serve before voters head to the polls next month.

Door County Sheriff Tammy Sternard announced her re-election bid in April, months after challengers Curt Vandertie, Carl Waterstreet and Randy Wagner announced their candidacies in January. Community conversations, parades and door-knocking efforts have allowed the candidates to spend face time with potential voters ahead of the Aug. 11 primary. Sternard will appear on the Democratic ballot, while Waterstreet and Vandertie are vying for the Republican nomination.

Sternard says the biggest issues she has heard from residents relate to scams and immigration.
 

Immigration has also been a topic brought up to Wagner, specifically whether the sheriff's office would assist ICE operations in the county.
 

Waterstreet says voters have told him they care less about campaign buzzwords and more about what the department will do for them.
 

Vandertie says voters want to see a more engaged sheriff, especially the first responders he has spoken with.
 

While only three of the four candidates are involved in next month's primary, all four hope to appear on the ballot for the Nov. 3 general election.

You can listen to our full interviews with the candidates here or watch them here.

A recent grant received by the Door County Food Pantry Coalition is ensuring your neighbors in need can get more than boxes of cereal and jars of peanut butter when they stop by to pick up groceries. The Door County Food Pantry Coalition is a network of food pantries across the county, part of a collaboration between United Way of Door County and the Door County Community Foundation.

 

Thanks to a grant application submitted by the Door County Community Foundation, the Wisconsin Hunger Task Force awarded the Door County Food Pantry Coalition $10,000 through its Connecting Farms to Families program. The member pantries worked together to purchase cheese, bacon, ground pork, chicken and ground beef to distribute to families throughout the county.

 

United Way of Door County Executive Director Amy Kohnle says this is just the latest example of the county's food pantries working together to accomplish their shared goal of taking care of their neighbors.

 

 

Food is not the only thing United Way of Door County is trying to gather for families in need. Its program partner, Door County Partnership for Children and Families, is continuing its efforts to distribute diapers and wipes to eligible families. Similar to food, the cost of diapers and wipes has increased with inflation, which has had a greater impact on the county's ALICE population. You can support the effort by visiting United Way of Door County during the Sail Through the Avenues Sidewalk Sales on Thursday.

If you plan to vote in person in the upcoming primary but cannot make it to the polls on Election Day, it's time to visit your local municipal clerk.

 

Early voting began Tuesday and will be available during normal business hours through Aug. 7, the Friday before the Aug. 11 primary. You can register to vote with your municipal clerk when you stop by to cast your ballot, as long as you have a valid photo ID and proof of residence.

 

Because it is a partisan primary, you must select one political party's ballot and vote only for candidates within that party. That includes the Republican primaries for Door County sheriff, Kewaunee County sheriff and Wisconsin state Senate, along with the Democratic primaries for Wisconsin governor and U.S. representative.

 

If you make a mistake while voting in person, Algoma City Clerk Erin Mueller says you will have the opportunity to "spoil" your ballot and try again before you leave.

 

 

Winners in the partisan primary will advance to the fall general election on Nov. 3.

Door and Kewaunee counties wrestled with heavy downpours, high winds and hail during Monday morning's storms.

 

According to Precip.ai, Sturgeon Bay received just under nine-tenths of an inch of rain, with even less falling farther north. Egg Harbor and Washington Island each received less than two-tenths of an inch. The storms hit Kewaunee County much harder, with 1.72 inches of rain falling in Kewaunee and 2.41 inches in Algoma. The storms also knocked out power to 1,038 customers at their peak at approximately 1:30 p.m., with the towns of Carlton and West Kewaunee among the hardest hit. As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, power had been fully restored.

 

The storms kept cleanup crews busy and flooded some streets, though most of that work had been completed within a few hours. Algoma Public Services Director Casey Groessl said the flooded streets subsided once their water pumps could catch up and crews were able to clean up one tree that narrowly missed hitting a house and other branches throughout the city.

The storm damage in Door and Kewaunee counties paled in comparison to what was seen in the Fox Valley, where a tornado ripped through Appleton and Menasha, leveling businesses and homes in its path. Outagamie County officials asked residents to stay home if possible to allow emergency personnel to respond to incidents and crews to clean up debris and restore power.

 

Sturgeon Bay Utilities General Manager Jason Bieri announced early Tuesday morning that the utility will assist Menasha Utilities with power restoration efforts by deploying multiple electric line crews to the area. As a result, local operations will have reduced staffing through at least the end of the week, though crews will be recalled if needed to respond to emergencies or service needs within the utility's service territory.

"Providing mutual aid is an important part of the utility industry, and we are committed to supporting neighboring municipal utilities during significant events while continuing to maintain reliable service for our customers," Bieri said.

The storms also inspired the latest philanthropic effort from Door County Candle Company. Owner Christiana Trapani said the decision to release the vanilla-scented Wisconsin Strong candle was immediate, and the company is working with area nonprofits to find the most impactful ways to support recovery efforts.
 

While the area should get some relief from severe weather, the National Weather Service says more rain is expected Friday and Saturday.