Door County Pulse Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Door County Pulse Podcasts
Door County Pulse Podcasts is dedicated to bringing you the news and stories of Door County, Wisconsin. Listen to weekly round ups of upcoming events, interviews with artists, musicians, and business owners, and more. Every Friday we'll do a deep dive on the news, and some of the articles you can find in the current issue of the Peninsula Pulse.
For Door County news, events, and more, visit www.doorcountypulse.com
Newport State Park is the only dark-sky designated park in Wisconsin, but if light pollution continues to grow in the surrounding area, it may be hard to keep it that way. Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss recent efforts to stop light pollution from encroaching on the park in northern Door County, and what individual property owners can do to help. Plus, they discuss why a bill was needed to stop people from throwing batteries in the trash, and why the city of Sturgeon Bay did not renew a contract with a security camera company.
The Door County Maritime Museum is celebrating a record-breaking year with a free community appreciation day and celebration on Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4. Sam Perlman joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the growth of the museum and the hidden treasures available to explore within its walls this weekend and beyond.
Winter Storm Elsa was a historic experience for Door County residents this week, dropping 2-3-plus feet of snow on the peninsula. Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss how it hit residents and how the county responded – and how we're still digging out of the mess.
Artificial Intelligence is changing the world in ways that seemed unthinkable to most of us just a few years ago. With each week the advancements appear to be changing new aspects of our lives. To discuss the rapid advancement, Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Prof. Thomas Baer of Stanford University, who will be leading a seminar series at Björklunden about AI and its implications in June. They discuss its growing impact on programming, health care, the workplace and creative pursuits. They also discuss its role in the Iran War and the growing ethical concerns about its use in warfare and the resources it consumes. ,
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Vanessa McGowan, the New Zealand-born, classically trained bassist, band leader, and music-industry veteran whose career spans over two decades. A Baileys Harbor resident since 2020 via Nashville, Vanessa shares stories from her extensive touring experience, including working with Grammy-winning artists like Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles, Brandy Clark, and currently leading the band for multi-Grammy-winning Molly Tuttle. She also gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at life as both musician and manager – on stage, on TV shows, on the tour bus, and reflecting on lessons learned since first landing in Nashville. Photos by Eli Spotts.
The tables are turned in this episode, when Annika Johnson interviews Myles Dannhausen Jr. about his journey from pizza tosser to reporter and many steps in between. Originally produced for the Al Johnson's YouTube series Door County Girl, this episode features two people who grew up in businesses at the feet of their parents and includes a look at life growing up here, the restaurant life, and why all politicians should have to bartend.
Painter Ram Rojas joins Debra Fitzgerald for a conversation about his journey from Venezuela to Door County, his classical training around the world, and the people and landscapes that have shaped his work. He reflects on what decades of painting have taught him about place, memory and community – from his studio practice in Ellison Bay to the public murals he's created across the peninsula, including the former Nelson True Value mural in Baileys Harbor, as well as works at The Clearing and the Door Community Auditorium.
Dominic Frandrup, Director of Door County Libraries, sits down with Debra Fitzgerald to discuss the latest developments across the county’s eight library branches. The conversation explores how these public, community-centered spaces are governed, funded and operated, as well as ongoing efforts to strengthen the library system. Consultants from Rethinking Libraries have been working with the county and the Library Board to identify opportunities to improve efficiency. With more than 75% of Door County residents holding library cards, Frandrup highlights the strong community support for local libraries, trends in circulation, and how these vital public spaces continue to evolve.
Few restaurant openings have been as hotly anticipated as that of La Sirenna last summer. And no wonder - it’s the first time a restaurant has opened with a Michelin and James Beard pedigree. Chef Carlos Salgado and his wife and business partner Emilie Coulson Salgado join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about what called them to Door County from California, how their restaurant vision was formed, life in family restaurants and what’s to come from the kitchen at La Sirenna.
Today, we’re diving into Leadership Door County, an organization that has been quietly shaping the future of our community for more than three decades. Since 1990, Leadership Door County has brought together professionals from across industries for an immersive, nine-month experience that goes far beyond traditional leadership training. It’s about understanding Door County at its core—its people, its challenges, and the opportunities that will define what comes next.Each year, a small group of participants steps into monthly sessions filled with candid conversations, expert insight, hands-on learning, and real relationship-building with leaders from every corner of the county. The mission is simple but powerful: challenge the way we think, strengthen leadership skills, and inspire people to actively shape the future of Door County.Joining me today are two leaders who know this work from the inside out. Regan Hendrickson, Door County Family Court Commissioner and Register in Probate, brings a unique perspective from the heart of our local judicial system. And Kyle Veeser, Chief Deputy and Undersheriff with the Door County Sheriff’s Office, offers insight from the front lines of public safety and community leadership.This conversation is about leadership, service, and why investing in people is one of the most important things a community can do.
Leadership Door County has been quietly shaping the future of our community for more than three decades. Since 1990, the all-volunteer organization has brought together professionals from across industries for an immersive, nine-month experience that goes far beyond traditional leadership training. Regan Hendrickson, the current class representative (who works as the Door County Family Court Commissioner and Register in Probate), and Kyle Veeser, alumni and Leadership Door County board president (who works as the Chief Deputy and Undersheriff with the Door County Sheriff’s Office), talk with Debra Fitzgerald about leadership, service and why investing in people is one of the most important things a community can do.
Door County’s large, educated retirement population is a curious, engaged, and eager-to-learn crowd who share knowledge, making Door County’s version of Learning in Retirement a model for the rest of the state. Jeff Schmeckpeper, the nonprofit board’s current president, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about how the program has evolved, the numerous courses offered, the peer leaders who offer the courses (including the most popular) and why the program is vital in a place like Door County.
Now that the calendar has turned, it’s now that special time of year we all look forward to: tax time! If it stresses you out, help is on the way. Steve Hellmann joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the AARP Tax Aide program that is available to help Door County residents file taxes for free.
As the year comes to a close, we look back on the most-read stories of 2025 and the news that defined 2025 in Door County. Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. also discuss the stories that readers should have read more of that will continue to make waves into 2026.
How can a marathon runner be overweight? That was one of the questions that led dietician Jennifer Sherman of Gills Rock to leave a 20-year career in civil engineering and earn a master’s degree in human nutrition. In conversation with Debra Fitzgerald, Sherman shares her own 40-pound weight loss (she’s the marathon runner) and how she now helps clients reach personal goals – from reversing high cholesterol or hypertension to boosting energy and overall health. Part of the 2026 Door County Talks Series exploring the Blue Zones, her talk on nutrition and healthy eating will take place Jan. 10 at the Door County Auditorium.
Dr. Simon Gilroy of UW–Madison joins Debra Fitzgerald to reveal the fast, unseen sensory lives of plants – how they detect danger, send signals through their entire bodies within seconds, and respond intelligently without anything resembling a brain. Gilroy also takes us into orbit, where his NASA-partnered research explores how plants behave in space. If you’ve ever wondered whether your plants are, in their own way, listening – or if they feel pain – this conversation will change how you see the green world around you.
In September, Executive Director Cindy Trinkner-Peot celebrated the expansion and renovation of Northern Door Children’s Center’s facility in Sturgeon Bay, increasing the center’s capacity by almost 30%. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss what the expansion means for meeting the demand for child care in northern Door County and the many challenges that remain. They’re joined by Molly Gary of the United Way Child Care Task Force to look at how people on the ground stepped up to take on a seemingly intractable issue and change the conversation.
As the Door County Housing Partnership nears the completion of its seventh home, board members Scott Bader and Mariah Goode join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the long road to putting people in homes and the long-tail impact on the community. But for Bader and Goode, the project is also an example of how people from different ends of the political spectrum can put politics aside to address community problems.
The South is often characterized as resistant to change, but there have always been Southern writers willing to speak out, even if at great personal cost, to the injustices in their communities and the South at large. Writers Melanie Ritzenthaler, assistant professor at Doane University, and Jenn Alandy Trahan, a lecturer at Stanford University, join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss Southern writers and their upcoming presentation at Write On, Door County on Dec. 6 at 10 am.
Yes, there are black bears in Door County, but we don’t yet know where the one that washed ashore in Egg Harbor came from. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Debra Fitzgerald about that bear, but first they dig into the news that the U.S. Navy has cancelled contracts for four Constellation-class frigates being built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine with assistance from its Sturgeon Bay yard. What does it mean for local workers when a multi-billion dollar contract ends?
Friends community concerts. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss his journey, leaving the big stage, and finding joy in plying his craft in a tight-knit community.
Angostura Bitters is the essential ingredient in many cocktails, including the Wisconsin staple, the Old Fashioned. And it is the concoction that made Nelsen’s Hall and Washington Island famous. But the company and the beverage have always been a bit of a mystery. Robert Simonson, cocktail writer for the New York Times, journeyed to the distillery in Trinidad to get answers about Angostura, and even found some. His story about the journey appears in the winter edition of Door County Living. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk bitters, the rebirth of cocktails, and the evolution of the bartending craft.
This year’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in Jacksonport will benefit eight-year-old Lucia Ramirez, who is battling leukemia. Her mother, Melanie, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about how Lucia is fighting and how she and her husband and seven daughters are juggling life and trips to the hospital as they support her, and how the support of the community is helping them beyond finances.
In the early twentieth century, a mysterious ecological crisis nearly wiped out the fish that most people cared about in the Great Lakes. The impact reverberated across the region, ruining local industries, damaging small town economies and indigenous communities, and destroying the livelihoods of people in the United States and Canada. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Lindsey Haskin, the producer of the film The Fish Thief, about how the mystery was solved and the creativity that saved the Great Lakes Fishery and continues today.
The lodging tax numbers are in for this year’s summer tourism season and Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. dive into some of the data, discussing what can – and can’t – be known about the world of lodging revenues, average nightly rates and occupancy averages. They also talk about the corrected beach monitoring data for the 2025 season – the reasons for it and what it reveals compared to the original data about Door County’s beach-water quality.
Cynthia Germain is a true catalyst for creating livable, age-friendly communities – not an easy feat in the essentially rural villages and towns of Door County. As the founder and president/CEO of the nonprofit Do Good Door County, she leads initiatives that empower older adults to age in place, living safely, independently, and confidently while strengthening community connections. She talks with Peninsula Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald about the proven programs that have made a real impact, explores the work that still lies ahead, and highlights ways residents of all ages can get involved to shape more supportive communities.
As Congress and the President battle over funding the government, nearly 2,000 Door County residents who receive foodshare assistance are wondering if they’ll be able to cover the next grocery bill. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Debra Fitzgerald about who those residents are and how they’ll be impacted if a funding solution doesn’t come to pass. Plus, the Clippers head to state in soccer, a Halloween thank you and an update on the future of Rowleys Bay Resort.
Peninsula Pulse reporter Eleanor Corbin joins Debra Fitzgerald to discuss the Nov. 5 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) public hearing on the proposed expansion of Gilbert Farms to CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) size, which is larger than 1,000 animal units. The hearing will give residents a chance to voice concerns before the DNR finalizes the permit. Eleanor and Debra talk about the expansion, the permitting process and the opposition’s concerns for water quality if the expansion is granted.
Write On, Door County is offering free registration to its upcoming young writers conference on Nov. 8 at Muse in Sturgeon Bay. Artistic Director Jerod Santek and Executive Director Al DeGenova join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the conference, the growth of the Juddville writing center, and the ongoing program to collect stories from local residents through the Memoir Mondays program.
Do you remember the Haunted Mansion? Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to one of the last people to work summers scaring visitors to the Thumb Fun Haunted Mansion. Rian Hill joins the podcast to look back at the legendary house on the hill in Fish Creek, but first, a rapid-fire bounce around the county to preview Halloween events over the next two weekends, including the haunted house in Baileys Harbor.
Debra Fitzgerald, Peninsula Pulse editor, talks with Pulse journalist Eleanor Corbin about her powerful story on homelessness in Door County, centered on Alex Stanelle’s journey through sobriety, housing instability and resilience. The piece sheds light on the often-invisible reality of being unhoused in rural communities like Door County. Eleanor shares what drew her to Alex’s story and what she learned about the gaps – and strengths – in local support systems.
When we tell the story of the cherry industry in Door County, are we leaving something out? Sergio M. González is Associate Professor of History at Marquette University and a historian of twentieth-century U.S. migration, labor, and religion. His work has found that we have overlooked the hardships and vital contributions of migrant labor that were indispensable in the growth and survival of the cherry industry in the middle of the 20th century. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss his article in the Wisconsin Historical Society Press – The Cherryland Problem, and what we can learn by uncovering the hard truths of our past.
Keeping Door County’s biggest weekend humming is no easy task. Kaaren Northrop has been a part of it from its humble early years, and now her daughter-in-law, Missy, is tasked with pulling together the many businesses, volunteers and vendors that are part of Egg Harbor’s big fall celebration. They join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about all that goes into the festival and the spirit of community that drives the effort.
Girl Named Tom, a folk-pop band composed of three siblings, made history as the first group to win the reality singing competition show, The Voice. Peninsula Pulse reporter Eleanor Corbin talks with the group, Bekah, Caleb, and Joshua Liechty – who were gearing up for a Door Community Auditorium show in Fish Creek – about that Voice experience, growing up together in Pettisville, Ohio and coming together as a band.
Iuscely Flores – an undocumented immigrant, DACA recipient, and powerful advocate for immigrant rights – joins Debra Fitzgerald to share her personal journey navigating life in the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant. Originally from Mexico, she discusses identity, resilience, and the ongoing fight for justice and belonging, regardless of legal status. From her work in policy and community organizing to her writing – including a poignant 2024 commentary in the Wisconsin Examiner – iuscely sheds light on the emotional and political toll of living in “the golden cage” under DACA.
Our podcast editor Hans Christian steps out from behind the sound board to join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his civic involvement, building a business as a producer in a small town, and helping other artists find their own sound and voice. Christian owns Studio 330 in Sturgeon Bay, where artists from the peninsula and afar come to record albums and voiceovers, and where this podcast is edited each week.
Don Weise is a veteran trail builder, author and advocate with the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference, where he helps care for an extraordinary 2,200-mile trail network. He joins Debra Fitzgerald on the podcast, with Amanda Stuck, Door County Trails board member, to talk about his experience and larger perspective on how trails transform places and connect people, while preserving biodiversity and boosting local economies. Amanda also talks about the local nonprofit that’s working to create a safe, connected county-wide trail for both recreation and transportation – and how they’re learning from professionals like Don along the way.Don will also give a presentation on trail building on Oct. 13 at the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor at 9:30 am and again at 5:30 am. Learn more at doorcountytrails.org.
The Door County Granary, built in 1901, carries a rich legacy – from its role in a bygone agricultural era to a near-demolition, and ultimately, a community-driven effort to save and repurpose it as a public gathering space. James Dallman, the lead architect behind the Granary’s ambitious restoration and transformation, was recently in town working on a model that will be unveiled to the public on Sept. 20. He spoke with Debra Fitzgerald about the political and technical journey that brought the structure back to life, the challenges of balancing historic preservation with modern functionality, and what it means to him to reimagine a building so deeply tied to the community’s identity and sense of place.
Rick Cleveland won an Emmy for his writing on The West Wing and has also written for Six Feet Under and several other television shows, in addition to writing for the stage. This month he’ll be taking part in the Door Kinetic Arts Festival, where he’ll stage a reading for his new play for Deaf West Theater. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about working in a writer’s room, the future of television writing, and the personal story behind the episode of the West Wing that won him an Emmy Award. Then they discuss his new play, Lulu, about a Gorilla who is the only witness to a murder and must communicate through sign language.Cleveland will be in Door County next week for the Door Kinetic Arts Festival, joining fellow writer Chris Nee for a discussion about writing for film and screen at Write On, Door County on Sept. 23 at 4 pm, and then a reading of his play on Sept. 26. Get more details on DKAF at Doorkinetic.com.
At last year’s Door Kinetic Arts Festival, David Maraniss and Eric Simonson came together for a fascinating discussion about turning Maraniss’s biography of Packers legend Vince Lombardi into a Broadway play. Moderated by Jacob Janssen of Third Avenue Playworks, the writers bring you a great discussion not only about Lombardi and the Packers, but also about the creative process and the choices they made to bring a sprawling biography of one of history's most compelling sports figures to the stage.
Fair representation is fundamental to Democracy in the United States. In Wisconsin, the way voting districts are drawn has long been a source of controversy and debate. But a dedicated group of advocates is working to change that. Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Nicole Gabrail and iuscely Flores, both with the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition about the organization’s nonpartisan movement to create transparent, impartial maps through an Independent Redistricting Commission. Their mission is simple: to ensure that every vote counts equally and that voters choose their representatives, not the other way around.
Mark Honold didn’t plan to take on another job in retirement, but after his teaching career ended, a more challenging chapter began when his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the difficult journey of navigating the disease, watching his wife’s decline and navigating a maze to find resources and assistance. He also discusses what he’d do differently if he could go back to the beginning, and how he was able to gain the perspective to get help before tthe burden of caregiving took an irriversable toll on him.
When Mitch Larson agreed to give a friend a ride to a clothing show in Chicago nearly 40 years ago, he didn’t know it would change the direction of his life. The founder of On Deck Clothing Co. joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about how that trip hooked him on the clothing industry, why his stores have their unique style, and his passion for historic preservation and rejuvenating spaces.
An important hearing is coming up Sept. 4th about the waterfront portion of the former Alpine Resort property (25:04), so Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. hop on the mics to give listeners to the lowdown on where things currently stand on the two Alpine properties and the many issues in contention between the property’s different owners and the village. But first they discuss Marina Fest, the big weekend event in Sister Bay, and the community value of local festivals.
This summer, Wisconsin lawmakers approved a major increase in special education funding — something districts across the state have been requesting for years. But while that’s good news for special ed programs, there’s a catch: general school aid is staying flat. In fact, several districts in Door County are seeing cuts. So what does that mean for schools, and for your next property tax bill? Eleanor Corbin, Peninsula Pulse reporter who covers schools across Door County, joins Debra Fitzgerald to unpack it all.
“Why don’t immigrants just get in line?” is a common refrain when people discuss the illegal immigration problem. But if you ask where the line is nobody can tell you - because it doesn’t exist. Immigration attorney Luca Fagundes joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss the many nuances of the U.S. immigration system and the laws that make solving the riddle so complicated. They'll discuss Luca's path to becoming an immigration attorney, why it's so hard for those already here to start the legal process to become a citizen and the misconceptions people have about how the United States immigration system works.
It will probably come as no surprise to anyone that Door County’s robust music scene includes world-class chamber music. Allyson Fleck, executive director of Midsummer’s Music, and a talented violist herself, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the organization’s roots, its mission, what chamber music means and the musicians who bring their music to the Door County community. Stay tuned: she also brought along her viola and plays a short piece by Bach.
Rural birthing centers are closing at an alarming pace in Wisconsin and across the country, but Door County Medical Center CEO Brian Stephens says their birthing center isn’t going anywhere. Stephens and Dr. Dorene Dempster join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why rural hospitals struggle to keep the service going and what the Medical Center does to keep theirs open to serve our isolated community.
The Door County Drug Treatment Court has been in operation since 2020. Earlier this year, the county paused new admissions to the program, and in May, announced it would be shut down due to staffing shortages. But last week, new developments suggested the program may continue after all. Joe Krebsbach, director of the Door County Health and Human Services Department and the person who oversees the program, joins Debra Fitzgerald to talk about the program, why it’s important and what’s next.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald discuss the Pulse’s approach to covering difficult stories and how we choose what merits a story. But first, a look at the growth in live music on the peninsula, the smoky haze settling in the air, and a potential third round-about coming to Sturgeon Bay.
Dr. Kristen Raney, President of Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC), talks with Debra Fitzgerald about how the college is transforming education into opportunity in Door County and elsewhere within the systems’ communities. Dr. Raney shares what makes NWTC her favorite college to lead, how job-focused programs are tailored to local workforce needs, and how the school is partnering with employers, K-12 districts, and even correctional facilities.
Few people will put more planning and time into catching a great photograph than Kevin O’Donnell, who shared the story of his pursuit of a very particular photograph in the Summer edition of Door County Living Magazine. He reads his essay, “The 40-second Window” on the podcast this week, but first John Mielke joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss his story on the fishing guides who steer people to the catch of their lives on the lake and the bay in Door County.
It’s becoming difficult to ignore the Canadian and western U.S. wildfire smoke that is causing an increasing number of air quality alerts throughout the Midwest, including within Door County. To help us understand what’s going on, a leading air quality expert at UW-Madison, Brad Pierce, (Director of Space Science and Engineering and former NOAA physical scientist and NASA research scientist), joins Debra Fitzgerald to talk about why we’re seeing more Door County days flagged for poor air quality, what people can do to keep themselves and their families safe, and what the future may hold for the air we breathe.
Peninsula Pulse interns Betsy Lecy and Cassidy Johnson sat down with Debra Fitzgerald to share what it’s like to cover Door County through the eyes of the next generation of reporters. From unexpected community insights to the stories that left a lasting impression (so far), they reveal what surprised them most, how their perspectives have changed, and what they discovered about the peninsula that only a reporter on the ground could know.
Since 1972 a unique cultural exchange program has connected Southern Door with Belgium, where many of its first settlers came from. Muraelle Havet, an exchange visitor from Brussels, Belgium, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. and her host, Bill Chaudoir, to talk about her impressions of Door County and the strong connection between Wisconsin’s Belgian settlement and Wallonia.
Wilkins & Olander has been a familiar name to local residents, particularly in Sturgeon Bay, since the clothing store opened its doors in 1990. Now in its 35th year, the store is owned by Dawn Fischer, who took over from her stepmother, Carol Overland, who died in 2019. In April, the Door County Economic Development Corporation honored Fischer with its Light Keeper Award for women, minority or veteran-owned business of the year. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the podcast to talk about her business, the evolution of 3rd Avenue, and the lessons she learned from Carol Overland.
The Door County Food Pantry coalition has raised awareness that this year, people have been using, at unprecedented rates, the nine food pantries across the county. Debra Fitzgerald talks with Adam Peronto with the Door County Community Foundation and Heidi Penchoff with the Door to Life Food Pantry in Sister, about the rising need, what’s driving it and how federal funding cuts would impact the food insecure. They also talk about solutions, community generosity and how people can access the resources they need.
Jeff Lutsey of the Climate Change Coalition of Door County joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the effort to add 50 new solar installations on the peninsula this year. The Coalition is hosting several informational sessions in the coming weeks for people to learn more about the possibilities for solar energy and potential savings through a group buying program.
Sportswriter Herb Gould spent years covering Chicago sports with the Chicago Sun-Times, but in retirement he turned his eyes toward an icon of a Chicago rival – Curly Lambeau. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his new biography on Lambeau and digging up new stories on a legend.
Leroy’s holds a special spot in the hearts of many, especially kids of the ‘90s. It was sad to see the coffee shop languish the last few years, but now Jennifer and Bjorn Larson have brought it back, keeping it the same as it always was. Larson joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why she took it over and why it's so important to so many.
Jess Farley-Nielsen took several stabs at moving away from her hometown, but family brought her back to stay. The Peninsula Pulse sales manager joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about working all kinds of jobs on the peninsula, her love of cooking and family gatherings and the beauty of Jacksonport.
Get the scoop on fireworks, celebrations and more, plus, everyone has their own Door County 4th of July Traditions. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Betsy Lecy about their 4th traditions, what makes each community celebration unique, and where to go to avoid the crowds as Door County celebrates America next week.
Ellison Bay Day is back with a day of events to celebrate a community that’s truly unique on the peninsula. Maureen Mercier joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk not just about what to expect at the event, but also about what makes Ellison Bay so different from the rest of the peninsula.
This spring the tools and supplies from Door County's last feed mill were auctioned off. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks about what the closing of Brussels Milling and Supply marks, and the roll the feed mills used to play in our communities. Plus, a look at Door County History Days and the value of historic preservation. Additional sound courtesy of IndustrialNoiseRhitmic 140106_02.wav by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/213228/ -- License: Attribution 4.0.
Last month, celebrated poet and author Mark Turcotte was named the sixth Poet Laureate of Illinois, joining the ranks of literary icons like Carl Sandburg and Gwendolyn Brooks. Even early in his career, Turcotte’s powerful voice was drawing attention, particularly through his books Road Noise (1998) and Exploding Chippewas (2002) – works he published during his decade living in Door County. In this conversation, Debra Fitzgerald speaks with Mark about his journey from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in North Dakota to his current role as Poet Laureate. They also reminisce about his years in Door County.
There's a lot more to Al Johnson's restaurant than the goats on the roof. What's most special about the Sister Bay restaurant is what happens beneath the sod. In the latest installment of our conversations with the 2025 winners of Door County Economic Development Corporation's annual awards, Rolf Johnson talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the legacy of his parents, Al and Ingert Johnson, and how life in the restaurant – especially the kitchen – shaped him and so many others. Get a glimpse into how the Al's kitchen works, the banter on the line, and the role a restaurant can play for a staff and a community that leaves a mark well beyond the dining table.
Communities across the county, from Brussels to Washington Island, use the same emergency communications system, owned and operated by the County of Door. The county is in the process of fully upgrading that system from analog to digital formats at a cost of nearly $28 million. This means eight additional towers added to the 13 currently operating, and new equipment needed for all fire departments (radios, pagers, etc). Ashley DeGrave, county technology services project manager, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about why the upgrade is being done, what it will achieve, and the challenges of getting the site locations nailed down for the new towers.
Mayor of Sturgeon Bay David Ward proclaimed the second Saturday in June as Steel Bridge Day, an annual city-wide holiday from this year forward. Steel Bridge Songfest, an event launched in 2005 to help raise money to save the bridge, went on a pandemic-induced hiatus in 2020. This year, it returns to celebrate its 20th anniversary. One of the founding organizers and local music legend pat mAcdonald joins reporter Eleanor Corbin to discuss how the festival came to be and what people can expect from its return.
Terrie Cooper spent 25 years working on the forever-protection of Door County land with the Door County Land Trust, co-authoring $30 million in state and federal land acquisition grants and helping the organization grow from 1,000 protected acres when she began to more than 10,000 today. She retired in October 2024 and, in May 2025, received the 2025 Harold “Bud” Jordahl Lifetime Achievement Award from Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts. She talks with Debra Fitzgerald about her career, how growing up on the peninsula shaped that career, and what we all need to know about this beautiful yet fragile land we call home.
Since the mid-1800s, the Hickey family has been fishing the waters of Door County. Today, fourth-generation owners Carin and Todd Stuth continue that proud tradition. Carin joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about life growing up in a fishing family, her path back to her father and uncle’s business, and the innovation that earned them the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s award for Established Business of the Year at this year’s business awards.
Have you bathed in the rejuvenating waters of Waukesha, Wisconsin? Probably not. But it was once a popular resort town known for its many natural springs, a forgotten bit of history unearthed by writer Matt Zembrowski for his new play at Northern Sky Theater titled "Something in the Water.” Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to the playwright about the genesis for the story, plowing through doubts as a writer, and the joy of seeing your words brought to life on the stage.
What happens when a community landmark reaches a turning point? In this episode, Dave Eliot – co-founder/publisher of the Peninsula Pulse and chair of the Baileys Harbor Town Board – joins Debra Fitzgerald for an in-depth conversation about the tough decisions ahead facing the town pertaining to the marina. Eliot unpacks the challenges and potential solutions, including a proposal to relocate the marina to Anclam Park.
Parvinder and Renuka Jandu didn’t know anybody on the peninsula when they moved here to run a gas station and convenience store 23 years ago, but that didn’t deter them. Over the years they’v erun nine locations, immersed themselves in the local community, and earned a sterling reputation through hard work, innovation and commitment. They join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about their journey and what it meant to be honored by the Door County Economic Development Corporation in April.
The Alpine Resort and Golf Course and the former Alpine waterfront parcels are a hot topic in Egg Harbor again as two separate proposals are making their way through village review. Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. outline the proposals and the sticking points for the developers and those who hope the lodge can be saved. They also update us on road construction that will detour traffic around parts of Hwy 57 for the next two months, and the possible end of the Door County Treatment Court.
Jamie Fisher, senior project manager for Farmers for Sustainable Food, and Rachel Malcore Goblisch, PR specialist with the Voice of Milk, were included in this year’s Peninsula Pulse Sustainability issue, out April 18. Here, they talk with Debra Fitzgerald about what ‘sustainability’ means to local farmers and the sustainable practices being incorporated into local operations to create resilient farms that will produce for future generations.
The Peninsula Pulse’s annual Sustainability issue, out on April 18, contains the stories and voices of people across Door County who are working in some aspect of the climate-preparedness realm, whether through observations, data collection or actions. One of those voices and stories comes from Charlie Henriksen, a commercial fisherman for 50 years, owner of Henriksen Fisheries since 1987, and Henriksen’s Fish House, a retail operation, since 2022. In “Changing Waters,” Henriksen wrote for the Pulse about Door County’s fishing industry and how it’s navigating a new normal. Here, he talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the state of the fisheries, sharing knowledge gleaned from a life lived on the water.
The 2025 NFL Draft comes to Green Bay April 24-26. Aaron Popkey, public affairs director for the Green Bay Packers, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about NFL draft preparations, what visitors to the city can expect, and what the Packers hope the big event will bring to the organization and the city. Popkey addresses some of the misconceptions about the draft and a few rumors swirling online about the Packers approach to selections this year.
He spent 25 years working in kitchens, operating a beloved Ephraim soup bar, and defending local service workers from uppity outsiders, but now Paul Wanish is one of the voices of Door County’s oldest radio station, 93.9 WDOR. Wanish joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about how a guy goes from kitchens to the hallowed grounds of Eddie Allen and Roger Levendusky’s mic at WDOR.
The Department of Natural Resources closed the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower in 2017 and planned to demolish the structure – until Christie Weber took up its cause and the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation (SBHSF) put its weight behind a fight that would take seven years and end with a fully restored, historic tower. Weber and Chesla Anschutz, another former SBHSF member, join Debra Fitzgerald to talk about the SBHSF’s journey to save the tower.
For 55 years Jim Ingwersen has been one of Door County’s most-acclaimed and prolific artists, painting portraits of Supreme Court Justices, contemporary artists and hundreds of other commissions from his studio on Old Stage Road outside Sister Bay. As he nears his 96th birthday, he has reached an agreement to donate his gallery, hundreds of paintings and home to the Peninsula School of Art to serve as a dynamic home to creativity for generations to dome. Adam Erickson, director of Pen Art, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about Ingwersen’s gift, his legacy, and what the future holds for the property.
Cam Ehlers-Kwaterski from Destination Sturgeon Bay joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to fill us in on everything going on for St. Patrick's Day in the city on Saturday. Plus, the Pulse was honored with 30 awards at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Convention last week. Myles shares his thoughts on who's to thank – the readers who support our work.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Keren Cotter and Jen Aldrich from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin about the life-changing work they do matching adult mentors (Bigs) with young people (Littles) in our communities, including Door County. We dive into the organization’s mission, the positive impact these mentoring relationships have on kids, and their new recruitment campaign, the Big Draft, inspired by the upcoming NFL draft in Green Bay. Keren and Jen share insights on why they need 700 new volunteers, how they match mentors with youth and the challenges volunteers face. Plus, hear heartwarming success stories and learn how you can get involved.
As Gibraltar High School prepares for the next stage of its big renovation, the community is gearing up to celebrate its rich history with The Last Dance. The event aims to honor the memories made in the old gym, a cornerstone of the school since its construction in the 1930s. The Last Dance is not just a farewell; it's an invitation for alumni and community members to come together, reminisce, and create new memories. The old gym has hosted countless events, from dances to graduations to Peninsula Music Festival, and it holds a special place in the hearts of many who walked its floors. Organizers have formed the Gibraltar Schools Historical Preservation Committee to ensure that the history of the school is preserved even as renovations take place.This project aims to educate current students and visitors about the rich history of the school and its surrounding areas. The committee is also working to preserve key elements of the old gym, including a beloved tile mosaic and parts of its iconic arches.The Last Dance promises to be a multi-generational event, welcoming alumni from all eras. With music, dancing, and opportunities to walk through the newly renovated spaces, attendees will have a chance to connect with their past while looking forward to the future. Tickets are available for $20, with a reduced price of $15 for alumni, making it an accessible event for everyone.This celebration of community spirit and school pride is not just about saying goodbye; it’s about honoring the legacy of Gibraltar High School and ensuring that its history is not forgotten. The Last Dance is a reminder that while the old gym may be closing its doors, the memories and stories will live on in the hearts of those who have called it home.
Owen Alabado joins the podcast to discuss this weekend’s Northern Door Pride Cabaret at Northern Sky’s Gould Theater. The founder of Northern Door Pride chats with Myles Dannhausen Jr. about bringing locals together for the show on stage and in the audience, the Knobs, and why he’s been so driven to do community work from the day he landed in Door County almost five years ago.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Wisconsin Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) about his priorities as chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, and a new bill he’s introduced that would ban cell phone use in K-12 classrooms. They also talk about immigration policy and how it would impact Wisconsin farmers; priorities for crafting the new, biannual budget this year; and how some federal orders coming down from the Trump administration may impact us at the state level.
Door County is in an electrical region that is considered high risk for shortfalls occurring at normal peak conditions this summer and for the next 10 years based on assessment data. Door County resident Roy Thilly, who spent a career working in the electricity sector – attorney, CEO of WPPI, board member and chair of NERC – talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the factors causing the risks and what we may expect in the future.
TJ Klune, author of The House in the Cerulean Sea, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about his (extremely well-written) book that was selected for this year’s Door County Reads program, which began Jan. 18 and runs through February). Klune talks about his writing process, why he writes, who he writes for – and life on a remote 10 acres in Washington state. The Lamda Literary Award-winning author Klune has written 30 books, including the sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea – Somewhere Beyond the Sea.
The craft beer industry is at an inflection point. Many upstart breweries have shuttered not long after opening, and even some of the original stars of the craft beer scene have gone bottoms-up in the last couple years. But one of the original craft breweries and most famous is doubling down. New Glarus, brewers of Spotted Cow, Moon Man and some of the most appreciated beers in the country, announced plans in October to build a $55 million, 65,000 square-foot addition to its campus. Founders Deb and Dan Carey join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the expansion, Dan’s 40-year beer-making journey, and of course, why New Glarus beer is only sold in Wisconsin.
The husband-and-wife filmmaking team of Zach Melnick and Yvonne Drebert join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss their new documentary film, All Too Clear, which explores how quadrillions of tiny invasive mussels, known as quaggas, are re-engineering the ecosystem of the Great Lakes at a scale not seen since the glaciers. To capture this epic change, they spent more than 150 days filming underwater, making it the most ambitious underwater film ever made about the Great Lakes.
The Town of Gibraltar has finally closed on its purchase of the 118-acre Redmann property to expand Fish Creek Park. Administrator Travis Thyssen joins the podcast to talk about property and discuss what the process will look like as the town embarks on trail and park improvements for what will now be a 150-acre public space.
Most public “input” sessions aren’t actually designed to put constituent feedback to use. John Kamp and James Rojas, authors of the book “Dream, Play, Build” argue that most of these sessions are used simply to tell the public what has already been decided. The sessions are usually intimidating to the average resident and aren’t designed to build community and generate ideas, but to meet statutory requirements. They join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about a different approach to public planning sessions that helps create the communities desired by the people who live and work in them.
Door County Land Trust Executive Director Emily Wood talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the organization’s record year of land conservation in Door County (17 projects concluded in 2024); the role the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund plays in accomplishing the organization’s mission; and how they balance conservation with other priorities, such as economic development
Ryan Mueller talks with Debra Fitzgerald about his frequent UAP (unidentified aerial phenomena) sightings in Ellison Bay; his evolving ability to summon their appearance; his theory about what they are and how that relates with the heightened drone activity on the East Coast (and around the world); and what he believes these sightings and experiences are teaching him – and us – about the past, present and future. Mueller is a local business owner (Uncle Tom’s Cabin candy store), husband, father and Gibraltar School Board member who recently completed his PhD in Education, with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and political leadership.
Northern Sky veteran Karen Mal joins Debra Fitzgerald to talk about her upcoming show at the Gould Theater, Dec. 28, 29, 30 and 31, to play some original music, and to talk about her career as a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/actor. Mal found a community in the Northern Sky team back when it was American Folklore Theater, and their fall season box office line rang in her kitchen in a cottage on Gibraltar Road. She talks about that Door County origin story and how she balances different aspects of her career while raising her daughter in Austin, Texas.
The second in command at the Door County Sheriff’s office, Pat McCarty, Chief Deputy/Undersheriff, will retire Jan. 17, 2025 just short of 31 years with the department. He talks with Debra Fitzgerald about his years in law enforcement, including as a patrol officer, and the changes and differences that have occurred over his three decades in law enforcement.
Sister Bay property owners were shocked when they got tax bills showing a 10.8% increase for village property taxes this month. Debra Fitgzerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss what we know about what mistakes were made when the village promised that taxes would be flat this year during the budget hearings just one month earlier.
Dr. Greg Kleinheinz, director of the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center, has overseen beach-water testing in Door County for more than 20 years. For the past five years, he’s also worked with the County of Door on a well-testing program designed to learn what’s in private-well drinking water. He goes over the cumulative results with Debra Fitzgerald, as well as the most recent testing results released a couple weeks ago. He talks about the hot spots for certain pollutants like nitrates, and what a new tracer program is turning up, and touches first upon how the data-driven beach-water testing program has evolved.
Kayla Larsen spent 25 years working in the restaurant industry before stepping into photography. For the winter edition of Door County Living magazine, Larsen turned her eye toward her old industry, providing a glimpse into the restaurant and food world that most diners never see. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the project and their love for the rhythms and banter of the restaurant world, including some of the pranks bartenders pulled on each other."One time, for a very special customer who I thought deserved a little extra, I put in a sauce called Dead Heat instead of Tabasco," she recalled. "This man spent about an hour in the Husby's bathroom running his mouth underneath the faucet. I had a moment of like, what if he's allergic to habaneros or something?"These stories not only offer a glimpse into the vibrant bar culture but also highlight the camaraderie and unexpected moments that make bartending such a unique profession. Pour yourself a drink, sit back, and dive into the world behind the line.
Reconsidering Local Wine and Spirits with Hatch Distilling by Door County Pulse Podcast
Trent Snyder of Bridge Up Brewing Company joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the Toys for Kids drive and what it’s like to play Santa. But first, a rundown of this weekend’s coming Christmas festivities in the county.
A new documentary about Wisconsin’s lighthouses premiers on PBS Wisconsin on Dec. 2, and as you’d expect, Door County’s lights feature prominently in the episode. The film’s producer, Jeff Pfeifer, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why these structures have such a pull on our psyche and shares some of the stories he used to bring the historical subject to life.
Baking is a science, according to Peninsula Pulse reporter Eleanor Corbin, who has a long lineage of bakers in her family, and was herself bit by the baking bug as a young girl helping in her mom’s kitchen and pie shops. Eleanor offers some great baking tips, utensils she can’t live without, how to roll the perfect pie crust – and so much more that will be helpful for this baking-mad season (and beyond). She also talks about her reporting on bakers around Door County and what it takes for them to meet the Thanksgiving demand for pies.
Hans Christian, classically trained as a cellist in his native Germany, emigrated to 1980s Hollywood to study bass guitar and pursue a career as a rock musician. More than three decades later, the performer, recording engineer, producer and multi-instrumentalist has lived a fascinating story (complete with famous people like Billy Idol, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ram Dass, to name just three) – including his serendipitous meeting in San Francisco with Northern Sky’s Doc Heide and Fred Alley, planting the seed about a place called Door County that Christian today calls home. Christian talks with Debra Fitzgerald about his career, his current work at his Studio 330 in Sturgeon Bay – and about being nominated for a Grammy in 2023 for his original music, Ocean Dreaming Ocean, in the category of New Age/Ambient/Chant.
When the Door County Trails group was formed, it turned to urban planner Sophie Parr to create inventory and vision maps for Door County's bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Parr joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the process she used to create the maps and how the future could look for non-motorized transportation in the county. They also talk about her love of maps and what inspired her passion for urban planning.
Despite historic investments in early childhood education in Door County, we continue to lag far behind the number of spaces needed for families in our community. Elliot Haspel spoke at the recent Door County Child Care Summit sponsored by the United Way, reminding local leaders that the struggle is not unique to Door County. The author of "Crawling Behind: the Child Care Crisis and How to Solve It" joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why policy-makers have struggled to understand the problem and coalesce around solutions.
Marissa Jablonski, executive director of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about how her organization is creating a jobs pipeline to strengthen the state’s workforce so that it’s stronger and better prepared to meet the state’s 10 Grand Water Challenges.
Choosing Election Letters and the World Comes to Door County by Door County Pulse Podcast
Musician Cathy Grier joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the upcoming tribute to singer and guitarist Sister Rosetta Tharpe coming to the Door Community Auditorium on Saturday. Tharpe was credited as an influence by Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Elvis and many others. Grier discusses the show and Tharpe’s legacy, followed by a bit of perspective from one of the show’s performers, Lachrisa Grandberry, about the value of sharing Tharpe’s story on the Door County stage.
With two weeks to go till the 2024 election, we talk to the candidates for U.S. Senate, incumbent Democrat Tammy Baldwin and Republican Challenger Eric Hovde. We discuss some of the top issues in the campaign and ask why each candidate was inspired to run for office.
Do you think you know Fall Fest? Matt Stone joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about Sister Bay’s big celebration this weekend. They run down all the key times and events, but also take you behind the scenes to talk about what it takes to create the party and how it helps businesses, nonprofits and workers all year long.
Wisconsin’s flagship environmental program, the Knowles-Nelson Stewardship Fund, has invested some $1.3 billion in land acquisitions, trails, outdoor recreation infrastructure and shoreline protection since 1990 across the state – 466 of those projects in Door County alone. But the program is threatened and could go away. One of the state’s primary organizations trying to assure that doesn’t happen is Gathering Waters, Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts. Charlie Carlin, Gathering Waters director of strategic initiatives, walks Debra Fitzgerald through what happened, why the program is threatened and what people can do to help save it.
Kris Sadur, chair of the Democratic Party of Door County, and Stephanie Soucek, chair of the Republican Party of Door County, meet for the first time when they sit down with Debra Fitzgerald to talk about political unity and party unity and how they’re addressing division within their own party’s ranks. They also talk about their parties’ respective moods, what they do to set the tone for political speech, what’s firing them up and political ads.
UW-Oshkosh women's volleyball coach and Gibraltar High School graduate Jon Ellmann did not take a straight line to his position as the women's volleyball coach at UW-Oshkosh. He joins Myles Dannhausen to discuss his journey from the courts at Nicolet, to design, to business, jewelry and finally back to education and the volleyball court. They talk about coaching youth sports, finding your path, tossing pizza dough and much more.
For 30 years Rachel Manek has been a part of people’s mornings in Northeast Wisconsin as the host of Good Day, Wisconsin on Fox 11. But her first jobs were working in Door County at Hotel du Nord and Al Johnson’s. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about her love of Door County, what it’s like to be a part of the morning of tens of thousands of strangers every day, and telling the stories of her hometown community.
Last week Bret Bicoy wrote in his column about his fear that this election cycle is tearing at the fabric of our community. He reads his column, then joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald for a spirited discussion about his column and whether we are as divided as it often seems that we are.
In the wake of a second assassination attempt on Donald Trump, Sept. 15, Joel Kitchens and Renee Paplham, the Republic and Democratic candidates respectively for Wisconsin’s Assembly District 1, talk with Debra Fitzgerald about political unity – what it means, if it’s important, whether it’s achievable in a two-party political system and what’s at stake if we don’t tone down and calm our political rhetoric.
So much progress has been made by Door County municipalities in a few short years in their quest to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed fiber broadband service to each home and business within their communities. The County of Door’s broadband coordinator, Jessica Hatch, runs down with Debra Fitzgerald where each municipality is today, and how soon your home or business will have access to 21st-century internet services.
When Larry Mohr retired in 2022, he did what most people do - knocking items off a long-delayed to-do list. But then he got bored, and when he came across a TED Talk on a more intentional approach to retirement he got inspired. That led him to taking photos for the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living this summer. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about that and more.
David Maraniss, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist and biographer of presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the podcast this week. Maraniss, who also wrote the definitive biography of Vince Lombardi that was turned into a broadway play, discusses that book and the journey from page to stage in advance of his upcoming appearance at the Door Kinetic Arts Festival Sept. 23. Maraniss also talks about his honeymoon in Door County, his love of the Packers, his biographies of Roberto Clemente and Jim Thorpe, and his take on the 2024 Presidential Campaign.
Executive Director Sam Koyen and event organizer Tom Krueger join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about this Saturday’s Trails and Ales event at Crossroads at Big Creek. All eight Door Peninsula breweries will be serving samples along the trail at the Sturgeon Bay nature preserve in a fundraiser for the center’s programs. Koyen also discusses how Crossroads continues to grow and engage more people in active and passive programming.
Meg Kissinger's memoir "While You Were Out" is a portrait of a family's struggles with mental illness. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. (17:05 mark) to talk about the book and how we fail to address mental illness across the country in advance of a special panel discussion at the Kress Pavilion on Sept. 12. But first, an excerpt from a conversation with Sen. Elizabeth Warren during last week's visit to Door County in which she discusses our housing shortage as a national issue.
Peninsula Pulse reporter Eleanor Corbin joined the staff, Aug. 1, with a freshly minted Political Science degree from Grinnell College in Iowa. She served as editor-in-chief of her college paper and was a student journalist for three years. She drove cross-country to Door County from her California home to begin her journalism career on the peninsula. Here, she talks with Debra Fitzgerald about what inspires and challenges her as a reporter, why she wanted to make journalism her career, and why she selected Door County to start.
The Jauregui family came to Door County knowing almost nobody. Now almost everyone in Northern Door County has crossed paths with a business owned by this family of entrepreneurs who have launched restaurants, roofing companies, and a horse ranch. Writer Ben Jones profiled the family in the summer edition of Door County Living magazine and he joined Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the family he got to know.
Peninsula Music Festival (PMF) conductor and music director, Rune Bergmann, is in from his native Norway to lead the world-class musicians who arrive in Door County from around the country and planet for nine performances in August as part of PMF’s symphony series. Bergmann joins Debra Fitzgerald, and PMF Executive Director Lisa Harper, to talk about the magic that’s collaboratively created by the conductor, orchestra and audience during a PMF performance.
Door Shakespeare’s producing artistic director, Amy Ensign, and its music director, Scott McKenna Campbell, join Debra Fitzgerald to talk about this season’s performances, and the nuts and bolts of producing shows that make Shakespeare and other classics accessible and enjoyable to watch beneath the stars at at Björklunden.
Herb Gould has covered big-time college and professional sports for the Chicago Sun-Times for four decades, but this summer he has fallen in love with Door County League Baseball as he sought out the stories of the league for the Peninsula Pulse. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to him about the league, its quirks, and the people who make it go.
Terry Moran, ABC News National Political Correspondant, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the 2024 Presidential Election. Moran, a 1982 graduate of Lawrence University, just completed teaching a weeklong seminar in at Björklunden, where he expected to be talking about Joe Biden and Donald Trump. He discusses the new matchup, underrated aspects of the campaign, and his faith in the American voter.
A self-described introvert who spends the majority of her time quietly creating art, Rebecca Carlton burst onto the scene earlier this year with her social sculpture, Are We Listening? Each of the 700 porcelain homing pigeons she suspended on wire in three different designs represented 10 of the world’s 7,000 languages. She then brought some 25 different groups of people together over a couple of months to have conversations. Rebecca talks with Debra Fitzgerald about her art and her community-creating experience.
Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk about memorializing the people who’ve made Door County – Door County, the rumors floating about Rowleys Bay Resort at the top of the peninsula, a hard-working couple’s path to home ownership, and the Peninsula Pulse’s Aug. 2 candidate coverage in preparation for the Aug. 13 primary election.
There’s a new name on the property that was once the Florian II, but inside it’s the same family line and space, just with an updated twist. Shane Kwaterski joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the plans he and his wife have to keep the space thriving in the family for another generation. They discuss Shane’s journey back to the family business, the evolution of his hometown and the story behind the new name.
Edgewood Orchard Galleries in Fish Creek is one of those emblems of Door County. Opened in 1967 on Peninsula Players Road in a beautifully restored 1918 fruit barn, the gallery is now nurtured and grown by a third generation of family owners who have also created a sculpture garden that meanders through the woods. Owner J.R. Jarosh talks with Debra Fitzgerald about some of the 150+ artists the gallery represents, the latest exhibit that runs through Aug. 25, and the gallery’s past, present and future.
Matt Stone is a man of many titles – trainer, real estate agent, podcast host, improv performer, dad. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his search for fulfillment in career and life, fighting off screen time for yourself and your kids, getting on stage and even a little about the Packers.
Newly 80-years-old, Charlotte Lukes recalls the courtship that led to her marriage to Roy Lukes, and the life they lived at the Ridges Range Light. Introduced to the peninsula’s magic by her husband, Roy Lukes, Charlotte has carried on their legacy in many ways since his death in 2016, including through their Peninsula Pulse column, Door to Nature. She has also branched out on her own, becoming one of the county’s most knowledgeable mushroom guides (several are coming up in August at The Ridges, Björklunden and Whitefish Dunes).
Myles Dannhusen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald catch up with some of the news that’s been happening at the top of the Door peninsula.
The Door County Triathlon returns to Egg Harbor this weekend, bringing 2,000 athletes to Murphy Park. Director Sean Ryan joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to reflect on 20 years of the event, the impact of the late Mark Ernst, and how the Tri helped change the face of the Door County visitor.
That’s a well known fact in Soil and Water Conservation Department circles and the people who work in those Wisconsin departments spend their days carrying out a mission of conservation and environmental advocacy to prevent pollution. Greg Coulthurst has been at it for more than three decades in Door County and the Door County SWCD conservationist and department head talks with Debra Fitzgerald about what his office does to protect surface and groundwater from agricultural operations.
Jacksonport resident and Sevastopol High School student Isabella Dereszkiewicz-Hodowany did what no other Door County student has achieved: she was accepted into the U.S. Senate Page program. Living at the Capitol for six months and working each day on the Senate floor, she witnessed the creation of legislation both small and large – including debates that led to aid packages for Ukraine and Israel. She talks with Debra Fitzgerald about that experience and how it changed her perspective on U.S. politics and on the importance of bipartisanship.
While the Green Bay Packers have announced the succession plan for retiring team President Mark Murphy a year in advance, most nonprofits don’t have the luxury of planning for succession in leadership positions. Northern Sky Theater is one of the few that had a plan in place for the transition, and new Managing Director Holly Feldman joined the podcast to talk to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the process and the benefits of putting a plan in place. She also discusses highlights of the 2024 season, and how Northern Sky handles the ever-unpredictable Door County weather at a theater in the woods.
There are some 1,000 music performances happening in Door County between June and October and we have them all for you in the Peninsula Pulse’s Summer Music Preview – Part I (June through July, out now) and Part II (August through October, out July 26). Pulse arts & entertainment reporter Sam Watson joins Debra Fitzgerald to talk about what it takes to pull that together. We’ll also introduce you to the Pulse’s summer intern, Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism student and Gibraltar High School graduate, Betsy Lecy.
When Kevin O’Donnell moved to the Southern Door town of Clay Banks seven years ago, he immediately found himself drawn to the people and scenes of the peninsula. He turned his lens and his pen increasingly toward the overlooked stories of the county, particularly those south of the bridge. O’Donnell joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his new book about those discoveries – Behind the Door.
Should music education change? That’s the question Charlie Eckhardt has been mulling throughout his final year as the leader of the band at Gibraltar School, where he has taught for 24 years. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about leaving the classroom and how small-school music education might need to change to keep kids (and teachers) engaged.
Long-time member and leader of the Door County League of Women Voters, Susan Kohout, is retiring, and Ann Morgan has been selected to lead the non-partisan organization into the future. Both women talk with Debra Fitzgerald about the League’s founding, current issues of importance and what the future may hold.
Mark Villers, a Door County Environmental Council board member, talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the Door County Environmental Council’s history, current mission, what is and isn’t working to protect our water quality and the phosphorus testing the organization will do this summer.
This week’s Pulse features art and writing from Dor County students who took part in a project related to Rebecca Carlton’s new installation, “Are We Listening?”. Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about her experience working with local high school students to produce art, essays and mixed media about the issues they are most concerned about.
Freelancers and part-time writers help Peninsula Pulse staff round out coverage of the county and Mike Bacsi is the latest such member, covering Door County restaurants and the dining scene. Mike and his wife, Patti, transplanted to Door County during the pandemic, retiring to a vacation home they’d long loved. So many others also take this leap of faith, some doing so more successfully than others. Debra Fitzgerald talks with Mike about this journey (and they of course talk about Door County restaurants along the way).
Golf.com senior writer Sean Zak joins the podcast to talk about his new book, Searching in St. Andrews: Finding the Meaning of Golf During the Game’s Most Turbulent Summer. The Sturgeon Bay native (and former Peninsula Pulse golf contributor) talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about covering the battles between LIV and the PGA Tour, exploring the birthplace of the game, and the nuances of the tour the public rarely sees.
The Door Community Auditorium released a summer slate full of amazing new bands and old favorites this month. Cari Lewis joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the shows she is most excited for, how the schedule comes together, and standing out in a local music scene with more options than ever before.
Door County’s nonprofit community, like most of the country, is grappling with a shortage of volunteers at a time when their services are in more demand than ever before. Kelly Hellmann, the coordinator of Volunteer Connections for the United Way, joins the podcast with United Way Executive Director Amy Kohnle to talk about the need in Door County and the opportunities at the May 21 United Way Volunteer Fair at Door County Gala.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. gives a glimpse of the Early Summer edition of Door County Living and the pain of finding an error in his story about the fascinating cliff-hanging structure known as Shadowcliff. Then, he’s joined by Orson Dutmer, the 13 year-old co-host of Hot Takes Hoops, to talk about what’s next for the Milwaukee Bucks, the NBA Playoffs and how the league is consumed in the modern media landscape.
Water-born illnesses aren’t new to Door County, as Ephraim Historical Foundation director Cody Schreck wrote in a recent History Hub column in the Peninsula Pulse. He joins the podcast to talk to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about an e coli outbreak in Ephraim in the 1950s, plus a little history about an estate on Horseshoe Island and 75 years of the Ephraim Historical Foundation.
Sam Watson joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the weak ties and the value of connections in battling the “epidemic of loneliness” outlined in a 2023 Surgeon General’s report. The topic is the focus of the 2024 Door County Living Philanthropy Issue, on newsstands now.
This year’s edition of Door Wedding is now on newsstands, and editor Aleah Kidd joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the stories and trends in the Door County wedding industry.
Myles Dannhausen revisits the words and advice of Ed McMahon of the Urban Land Institute, who visited the county 15 years ago and gave his advice on how the county could manage growth while preserving its essential character. Plus, a look at what the Door County Half Marathon has brought to the peninsula.
Tourism, housing and isolation rose to the top of areas of concern identified recently by a leadership team while developing the County of Door’s latest Community Health Improvement Plan. Shauna Blackledge, Door County Public Health strategist, joins Debra Fitzgerald to talk about those areas of concern, the focus areas they’ve adopted to address those concerns and the strategies developed to improve mental health, substance abuse and healthy lifestyle outcomes for Door County’s workforce and residents.
That’s what we wanted to know for this year’s Peninsula Pulse Sustainability issue. We dig into almost 20-years-worth of data on test results, and research the improvements, programs and practices designed to protect the health of our groundwater, our drinking water and our beach water. Myles Dannhausen Jr. previews the issue with Debra Fitzgerald on what readers can expect and about some of the surprise findings.
What's up with manure management and how are agricultural land uses impacting Door County water quality? Those questions will be answered during a League of Women Voters public forum scheduled for Tuesday, April 23. A diverse panel of experts has been assembled and the event will be moderated by Virge Temme – who chairs the League's natural resources committee and who led the six-month research project. She talks with Debra Fitzgerald to give listeners a sneak preview of their findings.
When Todd Haleen built the new home of Lakeshore Adventures in Baileys Harbor in 2022, he didn’t expect to become the target of social media vitriol, especially after his plans had been met with no opposition in the planning stage. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss what he hoped to accomplish with his building, why he designed it the way he did, and to clear up some misconceptions about the building.
One in four girls and one in 13 boys in the U.S. experiences sexual assault or violence. It happens everywhere, including here. Sophie Sielen, a victim advocate for Door County with the Sexual Assault Center for Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, ought to know. She deals with the reality of these statistics every day. Here, she talks with Debra Fitzgerald about her organization's support, prevention and education efforts – and how people can help during this month of Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness.
Tales of Our Lives, the story slam presented each spring by the Women’s Fund of Door County, is coming to the Gould Theater on April 20. Slammer Melissa Ripp joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the slam experience, then Ripp shares one of her stories from her college days in Madison.
There’s more demand for child care than ever in northern Door County, but soon there will also be more capacity. Cindy Trinkner-Peot and Jen Thompson join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the expansion plans at Northern Door Children’s Center as they enter the final phase of a $3.6 million capital campaign.
Here we go again. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald discuss the new proposal to build a hotel on Sturgeon Bay’s west waterfront. Plus, an update on the transfer of operations at Scandia Village, and a brief look at Tuesday’s local elections.
What is genocide and is it a term that describes what’s happening in the war between Israel and Hammas? Debra Fitzgerald is joined by Lawrence University Professor Emeritus Paul Cohen, who talks about writer and philosopher, Hannah Arendt, and her brilliant book, Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil, in the context of today’s war. Cohen will host a Björklunden Zoom seminar book discussion on the topic: “Is Evil Really Banal: Hannah Arendt and The Question of Genocide,” April 4 - May 2.
Gibraltar School will embark on one of the largest and most expensive public building projects in the county’s history this summer. Superintendent Brett Stousland and Project Manager Tim Bickert discuss the multi-year renovation project starting this summer to transform Gibraltar School. Then, Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Stousland about the school’s response to a student who brought a gun into the school building last week.
The partners that make up the Big Plant aim to add 10,000 trees to the peninsula landscape in April. Coordinator Jeff Lutsey of the Climate Change Coalition joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his path the CCC, the value of trees and how to make a difference one root at a time.
Local board, judge, and school board races are on the ballot in Door County on April 2. This week, Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the candidate profiles in this week’s edition of the Peninsula Pulse, plus the latest on broadband funds making their way to the peninsula and staffing shortages at the Coast Guard.
Peter Gentry’s brewing journey started with his dad and a home brew kit in Madison. It brought him to Door County. Gentry joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the growth of One Barrel Brewing Co. and surviving in a turbulent industry.
Bobby MacDonald of the Bayside Tavern talks about why the family embarked on a refacing of the building to restore its historical look, his parents’ unusual business relationship, and the evolution of the Bayside Alley Shops. They also touch on the tavern’s place in Fish Creek and how the town’s historic charm is at the heart of its tourism draw.
The ski hill in Potawatomi State Park hasn’t been open in a quarter century, but a Sturgeon Bay man hopes to resurrect it with a little fundraising, some motivated volunteers and a lot of work. Dana Wangerin joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the effort to bring downhill skiing back to Door County.
Chicago-based artists Ellen Holtzblatt and Mary Porterfield join Debra Fitzgerald for a conversation about their two-person show at the Miller Art Museum: Vestiges of the Tide. Both artists contemplate a topic in their work that brings awareness to what many of us prefer not to face: senescence, or the process of deterioration as we age, and who we'll be in our final years. The public can meet the artists and view the show March 1. See the Peninsula Pulse for more.
Journalist Henry Grabar joins the podcast to discuss his book Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World. Grabar says that parking policies at the town, village and city levels impact much more than where we put our cars. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about how parking minimums shape our cities, our architecture, our streets and even our ability to provide the affordable housing we all say we want.
Sister Bay has a long list of projects on its docket in the years ahead. Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss what’s up first and take a look at the housing study the village unveiled last month. Plus, Sturgeon Bay Fire Department has a new person at the helm and the city police department asks for the OK to put cameras up in 10 spots in the city.
In 2019 Amy Kohnle and United Way of Door County decided to tackle the vexing child care shortage. In the five years since then, the sector has experienced the lowest of lows and the highest of highs, with one center closing, another expanding and the opening of a shiny new center. Kohnle and Molly Gary, the Child Care Community Coordinator for United Way, join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the state of child care on the peninsula.
Loneliness in America has been called an "epidemic" and "public health crisis" by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, but he also said there's medicine hiding in plain sight: social connection. Door County UW-Extension's Paul Salm, who works in the areas of human development and relationships, talks about the work being done in Door County to combat social isolation and loneliness.
The 15th Door County Short Film Festival is coming Feb. 16 and 17. Founder Chris Opper joins the podcast to talk to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about how he picks selections from more than 100 submissions, what makes a great short film and the joy of browsing the shelves of movie rental stores back in the day.
There is nothing about Jennie Bexell that isn’t colorful. From her hair to her clothes, from the interior of her thriving retail stores and her latest restaurant, Sip, to her conversation, there is nothing bland about her. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to her about building a retail brand, what she learned working at Al Johnson’s and behind the bar, and what’s next.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) about some of the legislation that passed in 2023 and some of the big-issue legislation on the docket right now, including a medical marijuana bill and a bill that would put an abortion referendum question to voters.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald talk about Gibraltar’s decision to scrap its Transportation Utility Fee. Then they discuss another wave of business sales, including the Wild Tomato.
The relationship between electric power plants and peregrine falcons is helping to preserve a bird that was nearly extinct less than 30 years ago, and still remains endangered in Wisconsin. Debra Fitzgerald talks with the man responsible for the successful peregrine falcon nesting seasons at WPS power plants in Wisconsin, Greg Septon, and WPS's Matt Cullen.
When the legislature passed a bill overhauling alcohol rules in Wisconsin in December, it was hailed as a grand compromise. But wedding barn operators were left on the sidelines. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Debra Fitzgerald about how the law impacts wedding barns, event venues and breweries and wineries. Plus, look at AI and the art world.
From big developments to big fires, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald dig into the stories that made the year.
As Crossroads at Big Creek undertakes a project to clean contamination on its property from former pesticide mixing sites, Debra Fitzgerald talks with Bill Schuster about historic orchard management practices and the legacy they left in Door Soils. Schuster not only founded the county's Soil and Water Conservation Department, he grew up in Door County and worked in those orchards that later in his career he'd be charged with cleaning.
Kendall Weisgerber loved a great playground. When she died at age six in 1991, her family and the Baileys Harbor community built a playground in her memory. On Saturday, they opened the revamped Kendall Weisgerber Memorial Park with an incredible new playground. Kendall’s sister, Kari Baumann, joins the podcast to talk about her sister, the building of the playground, and what it meant to her to watch scores of kids rush onto the equipment on Saturday.
With the latest exhibit at the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay as the springboard – Newfangled, which presents artworks from the museum's permanent collect that illustrate the Modernist period – Debra Fitzgerald receives a spectacular primer from a woman who has a fascinating and accessible way of talking about art and its meaning and importance in the world: Helen Del Guidice, the museum's curator of exhibitions and collections.
It’s the final weekend to check out Christkindlmarkt in Sister Bay and John Nelson joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to tell you what’s new on the grounds this year. Then they talk a bit about the evolution of Sister Bay from the doldrums of the mid-2010s to the thriving climate of today.
An unprecedented number of Door County municipalities are going through market updates and revaluations given the meteoric rise in the real estate market, especially residential homes. This year, Baileys Harbor, Gibraltar, Union. Sister Bay and Liberty Grove have gone through this process, with more coming up in 2024. People always wonder what will happen to their property tax bill when their municipality goes through this. Dean Peters, vice president of operations for Associated Appraisal, unpacks it all with Debra Fitzgerald.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald discuss the sudden closure of Zion Early Childhood Center and what it means for the families of the 60 children there. But first, a look at the vote by Gibraltar voters to say no to a road tax.
Myles Dannhausen with an essay on life in winter on the peninsula, with some words from the late writer Norb Blei.
Ben Jones joins the podcast to talk about his recent story about the reinvention of Baileys Harbor. He talks with Myles Dannhausen about the evolution of the town from the sleepy, “quiet side” to a bustling food and drink hub still holding tight to its small-town, laid-back ethos.
Sturgeon Bay is kicking off the holiday season with Christmas By the Bay, then the rest of the county joins in the cheer next week. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald run down everything going on for the season, plus a look at the latest round of Destination Door County’s Community Investment Fund grants.
It took over 100 hours of footage, 43 interviews and 1,400 hours of editing to create Ridge and Swale, the documentary celebrating the legacy of conservation in Door County. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to director Brett Kosmider about the film, his process and what lessons we can learn today from the conservation battles of the past.
It’s municipal budget season and several communities have big expenses on the docket that will trickle down to their taxpayers. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald break down a couple of these budgets and why its so hard for municipalities to get ahead. Plus, Peninsula Players gets a big grant and the Northern Door Children’s Center embarks on the last phase of its expansion and renovation.
A plan for new multimodal paths to connect Egg Harbor to Fish Creek is taking shape with the help of the National Park Service. Community Planner Christopher Morgan and Landscape Architect Patrick Lydon of the National Park Service join the podcast to talk about their work assisting the village in engaging the public and planning the route for a path that could provide an off-road connection from Murphy Park to downtown Fish Creek.
Jewel Peterson Ouradnik is the 11th child in a family of 12 kids who grew up at Rowleys Bay Resort in Ellison Bay, which was purchased by her parents in 1970. A fire the day after Labor Day weekend destroyed a big part of the resort, lodge and bakery at the end of County Road ZZ that she has owned and operated with her husband, Bob, since 2013. Jewel talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the fire and their decision to sell the property, which is currently on the market for $2.15 million.
Anders Erickson got his start behind the bar at the late, great T. Ashwell’s in Ellison Bay. Twenty years later he has turned his cocktail skills into a thriving cocktail channel on YouTube where he has nearly 500,000 subscribers and his cocktail recipe videos garner millions of views. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his journey and how the channel has grown.
In 1959 legendary coach Curly Lambeau was finished roaming NFL sidelines, but football was never far from his mind. Retired to his cottage in Fish Creek, he showed up at a Gibraltar Vikings high school football practice and was soon instructing players for coach Pat Spielman. Herb Gould joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his article detailing Lambeau’s stint in Fish Creek.
Fishers Island is a community of about 400 people off the coast of Long Island that has faced some of the same housing shortfalls for residents that Door County is grappling with. But in 1987, residents of the island came together with land and money to devise a solution. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to the program director of Walsh Park, Matt Edwards, about the nonprofit housing trust the island created to provide homes for firefighters, teachers, laborers and even Edwards himself.
Pulitzer-nominated author Dan Egan joined Mark Holey and Myles Dannhausen Jr. for a special Fish Tales lecture series event at Crossroads at Big Creek on Oct. 16. Egan, the author of Phosphorus: The Devil’s Element. They talked about the vital element that is a key component of one of the most vital substances on earth: fertilizer, which has sustained life for billions of people. It has played a critical role in some of the most lethal substances on earth: firebombs, rat poison, nerve gas. But the supply of phosphorus is not endless. This live edition of the podcast was recorded from the Fish Tales event by Laddie Chapman.
What's a citizen scientist and why are they so important to Door County conservation and land protection organizations? Debra Fitzgerald finds out from Paige Witek, community conservation coordinator for the Door County Land Trust, and Tony Kiszonas, director of research for The Ridges Sanctuary, prior to the first Citizen Science Symposium that will take place at the Ridges on Oct. 21. To learn more about that event, go to doorcountypulse.com/a-collaborative-celebration-of-citizen-scientists/.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald dive into the news of the week with a brief look at Fall Fest and a deeper dive into the latest room tax numbers and what those returns say about the state of tourism in the county. Then they talk about what’s coming for Egg Harbor’s highway reconstruction project and the latest broadband news.
In the third part of our series on the affordable housing shortage, Mia Vlaar joins the podcast to talk about the variety of approaches the Town of Vail, Colorado is using to build its affordable housing stock. She talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about their program to purchase deed restrictions, changes in legislation to divert funds to workforce issues and a new sales tax implemented to support housing projects.
In July the most ambitious affordable housing project to date in Door County opened in Sister Bay. Within weeks, nearly all of the income-restricted units were full. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to developer Marissa Downs about what it took to make it happen, some of the misconceptions about the development, and why it’s so hard to do it in Door County.
A familiar name returns to Door County in October when musician Tony Brown comes home for a show. Deb Fitzgerald talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about her interview with Brown in this week’s Pulse, then they talk about Cycling Without Age, a program that gets people back outside and in nature with the use of electric trishaw bikes.
In the first of a series of conversations over the next few weeks, Myles Dannhausen Jr. discusses local initiatives and challenges in piecing the housing puzzle together. We also look beyond the county’s boundaries to examine approaches being used in other communities, such as Vail, Colorado and with local leaders, developers and Fisher Island, New York. This month the Door County Community Foundation launched the Workforce Housing Lending Corporation. Bret Bicoy, the President and CEO of the Community Foundation, joins the podcast to discuss the program and what its creators hope it can accomplish to close the housing gap on the peninsula.
An August windstorm exposed serious problems with the Egg Harbor Marina’s floating pier system. Deb Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the podcast to discuss what happened, plus a proposal for a pop-up roundabout in the village. Then they talk about dog rules at a northern Door County park.
The County of Door is replacing all the emergency, green-and-white fire signs in all of the towns at every single address, at a cost that's been estimated at more than $1 million and is being funded, in part, with American Rescue Plan Act dollars. Debra Fitzgerald talks with Mariah Goode, director of the county's Land Use Services department, about why this is being done and why, in the age of GPS, those signs are still needed. She also touches on the county's comprehensive plan process now underway, and how the county's vision of land use across the peninsula interacts with, and overlays, municipal versions of future land use.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by singer, songwriter, and playwright Katie Dahl to talk about her musical journey thus far. From the broken wrist that got her to pick up a guitar, to making a career in music in Door County, and touring beyond. After the break we dig deeper into her songwriting and performance process around her newest album, Seven Stones.
Door County municipalities are almost all engaged in a process to bring reliable, high-speed internet access to all addresses within their communities. Jessica Hatch, County of Door broadband coordinator, reviews with Debra Fitzgerald exactly where each community is in the process, how much money is out there for grants to get the work done, future challenges that could arise and how they're preparing for those now.
There is nothing like a tragedy to show a community who it is, and the Sept. 5 fire at Rowleys Bay Resort was all that. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Deb Fitzgerald talk about the Sept. 5 response to the fire, the aftermath, the memories, efforts to help the displaced employees and the owners' vow to rebuild
Author Meghan O'Gieblyn joins the podcast to discuss her book, God, Human, Animal, Machine: Technology, Metaphor and the Search for Meaning. She is one of the featured authors at the Washington Island Literary Festival, which takes place Sept. 21-23.
Eric Lewis joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the Camp David Reunion Concert at Fishstock, where Lewis has been packing the barn for 25 years for the Labor Day concert. He returns to the state Sunday night. They talk Fishstock, the legend that is Dave Ellmann, and the way the Fishstock thread of musicians changed the county’s live music scene in the early 2000s.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Eric Simonson to talk about the 2023 Door Kinetic Arts Festival, a celebration of a diverse range of performance styles. From Cocktails to short films, dance to opera, and everything in between.
What does the raid of a Kansas newspaper in early August say about today's society? Has journalism, citizenship and civic discourse disintegrated to such a degree that our democracy is threatened? Here to talk about that with Debra Fitzgerald is Mike Killenberg and Rob Anderson, former professors of journalism and communications, current Jacksonport residents, and authors of the newly released book, Democracy's News: A primer on journalism for citizens who care about democracy.
Few things shape the look and economics of our communities more than parking requirements. Unfortunately, most villages, towns and cities write their requirements to produce the exact opposite of the communities they want to encourage. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to UCLA professor and author Donald Shoup about why parking minimums hurt communities and how thinking differently about parking can help businesses, ease congestion and help pay for other services.
Are municipalities and school boards abusing the spirit of transparency in open meetings and records? Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss the disturbing trend of local boards using closed session meetings for dubious reasons. Plus, a look at Sister Bay’s new facilities plan draft, the search for a pigeon and an update on reporter Sam Watson.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Pulse intern Emma Chamley about her favorite stories and experiences from the summer.
Getting people to engage in democracy and government has been a central theme in the work of artist Bronwyn Mauldin. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss the intertwining of art and democracy and her upcoming seminar at Bjorklunden Aug. 6-11. Mauldin is a writer, zine maker and researcher. She serves as director of research and evaluation at the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, where she leads a team that utilizes data and research methods to strengthen the arts ecology and ensure all residents have equitable access to the arts.
Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by author Edward McPherson who is the nonfiction judge for the 2023 Hal Prize. The two talk about how McPherson got into writing, his three books and what he is working on as a newly minted Guggenheim Fellow.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. sits down with Paige and Cam to talk about Sturgeon Bay’s big maritime celebration Aug. 1-12.
Andrew Kleidon hangs out with Matthew Gordon, one half of the band Chicago Mule, to talk about what it takes to make your band your full time job, gigging in Door County, and much more.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. catches up with Matt Sampson, the brewer and owner of Sway Brewing and Blending, the small brewery that just celebrated its first birthday in Baileys Harbor. Sampson talks about his vision for the brewery, his path to helming his own shop and partnering with others to create a place for beer, food and community.
Door County may seem like paradise to many, but those who work in the wellness and mental health fields understand that trauma, anxiety and depression are just as common here as in other rural communities where there's more isolation and access to services. Local professionals want to help our community become more resilient and are starting with a day-long conference, Aug. 15 in Sturgeon Bay: Hope Beyond the Hurt. Debra Fitzgerald talks with two of its organizers: Rebecca Nicholson, community connector with the Door County Partnership for Children and Families, an internal program of United Way of Door County; and Sophie Sielen, Door County coordinator and victim advocate for the Sexual Assault Center through Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin.
In this episode, Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by Sean Hill, poet and judge for the Hal Prize in poetry. They talk about his first steps into poetry, the themes he explores in his work and what he’s looking for in Hal Prize submissions.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. have a few updates to some long-term stories, including Fish Creek’s second chance to purchase the Reddmann Property. Also, Door County will welcome athletes to challenge their bodies in the Door County Triathlon this weekend.
Acclaimed actor Billy Bob Thornton is coming to Door Community Auditorium next week in a new role – as the lead singer of his band the Boxmasters. He joins the podcast to talk to Debra Fitzgerald about his love of music, performing and creative influences.
The bookmobile was a conduit to the outside world for thousands of Door County children in the days of one-room schools and before satellite libraries existed in every community. Now a committee of the Egg Harbor Historical Society is raising funds to bring it back to life to educate people about the history of education in the county, support literacy programs on the peninsula and revive a cherished piece of local history.
Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to give a brief rundown on everything going on for the 4th of July holiday week in Door County. Then they dive into the news, including a roundabout that is likely coming to the Culver’s intersection, a graffiti crackdown at Anderson Dock, and the latest on broadband expansion projects.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with state Rep. Joel Kitchens about the Right to Read Act he authored and is on track to becoming law. The bill would transform the way reading is taught in Wisconsin. They also discuss another of his bills that has passed the Assembly that would make hormonal contraceptives available without a prescription and what is and isn't in the 2023-2025 budget, that's expected to go to a vote June 29 and 30.
Wolfe broke onto the Chicago literary scene in 2022 with the release of her debut novel, Last Summer on State Street. Since then, the awards have been piling up for the author, educator and judge for the 2023 Hal Prize in fiction. Now with the Chicago Book Award under her belt, Wolfe is looking towards a year of new writing projects. In this episode, she is joined by Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, to discuss those new projects as well as the upcoming Hal Prize.
Scott Watts joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his restaurant, Hill Street, and the many twists and turns it took to get it open. Watts shares his theories on how to run a restaurant that doesn’t suck your soul and attracts staff; serving nightmares; business succession challenges; and creating a menu that you actually want to cook.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Emma Chamley, the 2023 summer intern for the Peninsula Pulse, who arrived a few weeks ago and is already into her beat covering various entertainment and outdoor activities. Emma is a double journalism/political science major going into her junior year at Butler University in Indianapolis who has spent summers in Door County since she was a baby. She talks about her interests in journalism, why she applied for the internship and what she's looking forward to experiencing while spending a summer with us. Also see Chamley's introductory column in the June 9 issue of the Peninsula Pulse.
Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by author and professor Liam Callanan to discuss his new book, When in Rome. Callanan will be in Door County June 8, 7 pm, at the Kress Pavilion for an author reading and Q&A.
Morgan Rusnak, Community Engagement manager with Destination Door County and Krista Lutzke, Department of Natural Resources district natural resources educator based out of Peninsula State Park, have paired up to meet the challenge of record visitation to provide a multi-day, on-site education and programming through the Leave No Trace Spotlight event that will come to Peninsula State Park, June 8-10. The two partnered on an application that was selected by the Colorado-based Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics – one of about 15 sites the organization selected this year. Debra Fitzgerald talks to the two about the upcoming programming.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. preview the big Memorial Day weekend coming up. Plus, an update on Sister Bay’s short-term-rental debate, and a look at the long list of new restaurants coming our way this summer.
The Door County club merged with the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Bay and Lakes Region (Green Bay and Shawano) in March, creating the region's largest youth development agency that serves some 3,000 children annually. Debra Fitzgerald talks with Lisa Kogan-Praska, CEO, and Chelsea Dahms, local director of programs and operation, about the merger and the Club's uninterrupted role in enabling young people to achieve their full potential.
This week we’re bringing you four interviews with the honorees from the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s 33rd annual business awards. Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding was the winner of the Lighthouse Award for established business of the Year Award. In this episode, we talk with Bay Ship’s Tom Martin, director of purchasing and facilities and Justin Slater, director of sales and marketing, about the shipbuilder’s history, its role within the community, and how the shipbuilding business has changed and grown over the years.
This week we’re bringing you four interviews with the honorees from the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s 33rd annual business awards. This episode features Christiana Trapani, the owner of Door County Candle Company, who was named the Lightkeeper Award for woman or minority-owned business of the year for her work building her business and using it to raise more than a million dollars for the people of Ukraine.
This week we’re bringing you four interviews with the honorees from the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s 33rd annual business awards. In this episode we talk to Jason and Sarah White of Peach Barn Farmhouse and Brewery, the winners of the Range Light Award for best new business. We discuss their journey to Door County, a brewery as a family business, and diving into a new community.
This week we’re bringing you four interviews with the honorees from the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s 33rd annual business awards. In this edition we talk to Brad Andrae of Thermotronx, the winner of the Lifetime Achievement award from Door County Economic Development Corporation for his contributions to the local economy and community.
Chris Drosner, the Wisconsin Beer Baron columnist for the Wisconsin State Journal and executive editor of Milwaukee Magazine, joins the podcast to talk about the growth, evolution and future of Wisconsin’s craft beer scene. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the state scene and how Door County's growing beer palate fits into the mix.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to reporter Sam Watson about yet another no for affordable housing in Door County, this time in the Town of Gibraltar, where a 49-unit studio complex was nixed by the Fish Creek Sanitary District before it could go to the county for rezoning consideration.
A third of caregivers die before the person they are caring for. Former Wisconsin Governor Marty Schreiber has made it his mission to help caregivers find the resources they need to provide the best care for loved ones but also to take care of themselves. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about his journey caring for his wife as she succumbed to Alzheimer's disease.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with David Eliot and Myles Dannhausen Jr. as the they prepare to welcome well over 2,000 runners to Peninsula State Park this weekend for the Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K.
The debate over how to control the growth of short-term-rental properties is heating up again. Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Deb Fitzgerald to talk about Sevastopol’s new ordinance, proposed changes in Sister Bay and Liberty Grove, and how those changes might impact the local economy and housing market.
For 25 years Carrie Baldwin-Smith of Door County Event Planners has been helping people achieve their dream wedding. She talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about making a career out of someone’s biggest life event, destressing couples and the growth of the wedding industry.
A face familiar to those who love the Ridges Sanctuary will be taking over the leadership of the organization in June. Katie Krouse will move into the executive director position, taking over for interim director Andy Gill, whose family will be moving to the Milwaukee area. Gill and Krouse talke to Myles Dannhausen about the transition, Gill’s next role with the organization, and other big news for the Ridges.
In the 2023 Sustainability Issue, we highlight some of the volunteers who give so many hours to help support our local environmental organizations and lead the stewardship of our most special places. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Deb Fitzgerald about this year’s issue and what those volunteers mean to our community.
Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by photography judge, Allen Morris, to talk about alternative photography methods, the photo categories for this year and advice for submitters.
Through waves of development pressure over a century, people have stepped up to find ways to preserve much of Door County’s most sensitive habitat and most beautiful land. The new documentary, Ridge and Swale, tells their story. Producer David Eliot talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about what inspired the project and what he hopes it achieves.
It's not just desirable plants, insects and animals ready to spring forth into a new season, it's also the invasive species that don't belong here and have no natural predators, often hitchhiking their ways into our lives, lands, air and waters. Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with Sam Koyen, County of Door's invasive species coordinator, about the county's biggest invasive threats and what's being done to help mitigate their spread.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald to talk about some historic firsts from this weeks election results. Also, some long awaited updates on the Forestville Mill Pond and Egg Harbor’s highway project.
Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by Jerod Santek, founding & artistic director at Write On, Door County, to talk about the judges for the upcoming contest and a few key dates to keep in mind for submitting.
Sister Bay Health Care is about to look a lot different with the opening of the new Door County Medical Center clinic in Sister Bay. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Andy Anderson and Lindsay Donohue about the transition to the new clinic and what it will mean for patients and staff. But first, Dannhausen talks to Debra Fitzgerald about April’s local elections.
Voters will weigh in on two constitutional amendments April 4 that pertain to the criminal justice system and Joan Korb – a career criminal prosecutor, executive director of the Wisconsin District Attorney’s Association, and author of the periodic Legal Brief column for the Peninsula Pulse – talks with Debra Fitzgerald to explain what those amendments mean and what a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote would achieve.
Brian Kelsey, managing director of Peninsula Players and chair of the Wisconsin Arts Board, joins Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald to talk about state supported funding for the arts: what's in the budget to start the process in Madison, what Door County could receive, why Wisconsin ranks 50th in the nation when it comes to arts funding; and how the arts contribute to our economy and quality of life.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to reporter Sam Watson about cobbling together housing and carving into the county’s art scene in her first winter in the Door.
Bob Atwell, executive chairman and co-founder of Nicolet National Bank, walks Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald through the recent bank failures – what caused them and what the collapses say about the stability of America's banking system in general, and Wisconsin specifically.
Trent Snyder didn’t set out to be a brewer, but a chance conversation led him to opening not one, but two Door County taprooms in a three-year span. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about his journey into the brewing business, how the industry has changed, and what makes a great public restroom…really.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon feed the birds, give a novice’s recap of the Oscars, and fill us in on restaurant changes in Baileys Harbor. Plus, an update on the conversation around Sister Bay’s Village Hall.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald about two islands reported in the March 10 issue of the Peninsula Pulse. One of the islands is the creation of artist Lee Mothes, yet has all the trappings of a real place, including the ability to buy and develop land. The other island off the tip of the Door peninsula is, depending who you talk with, a stinking outpost with inhabitants that pollute the water and deplete the fishery, or a necessary sanctuary and nesting spot for colonial birds.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Mike Orlock, author of the Peninsula Pulse’s film column Mike at the Movies, to round up all of the best picture Oscar noms before the Academy Awards.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to the restaurateur about a new model he has launched for his food truck court in Baileys Harbor. They touch on Schoenfeld’s background, the barriers to entry in the industry, and how COVID forced some lasting positive changes on restaurants in Door County.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald about the latest developments to save Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower, and recent UFO sightings Door County residents are talking about.
Gibraltar School is asking voters to approve a $29.8 million referendum to renovate and reconstruct the aging portions of the high school and the middle school gym. Superintendent Brett Stousland and school board president Stephen Seyfer join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the project.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Destination Sturgeon Bay Executive Director Cameryn Ehlers-Kwaterski to talk about everything folks can look forward to this weekend when Sturgeon Bay celebrates Fire & Ice.
Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with Darrick DeMeuse. The Sevastopol native and current resident makes his community a better place through his numerous volunteer efforts, yet does so quietly beneath the radar and behind the scenes. If you know a Difference Maker we need to talk with, email debra.fitz@ppulse.com.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald about the new child care facility that will be constructed on the Sevastopol/Sturgeon Bay border, and several of the larger developments in various stages of planning in Sturgeon Bay, including Fleet Farm on Hwys. 57/42 and a 62-room, four-story hotel on Egg Harbor Road.
A little over a year since the James Webb Space Telescope was launched, Myles Dannhausen Jr. catches up with Dr. Heidi Hammel, one of the project’s leading scientists, to find out what we’re learning from the incredible photographs that Webb is creating.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. discusses the future of Scandia Village, the Sister Bay nursing home and retirement community that is now up for sale, with Andrew Kleidon. Plus a preview of this weekend’s Fish Creek Winterfest.
This year's Door County Reads features Raft of Stars by Andrew Graff. He joins Pulse assistant editor Grace Johnson to discuss the upcoming Door County Reads programming, his book and writing stories that are hopeful.
Hope and Brandon Bogenschutz – members of the new improv group, The Knobs – join Pulse assistant editor Grace Johnson to talk about the art of improv.
Mariah Goode, director of the County of Door's Land Use Services department, sits down with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald to talk about the county's role related to zoning and development and what local towns can do if they're interested in guiding not only where something is built but how it looks. They also talk about growth and existing ratios for what's protected versus what's developed on the peninsula.
Jerod Santek, artistic director at Write On, makes his first Pulse Podcast appearance and discusses new, free programming offered at the Writing Center with Pulse assistant editor, Grace Johnson.
When Dustin Renwick went to work at National Geographic in 2017, he almost immediately set out to find out what the magazine’s extensive archives might include about Door County, a place his family has visited for years. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about what he found, how our forgotten archives can help connect generations and how he uses them to tell new stories.
Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) sits down with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald to talk about the new legislative session, his priorities and committee assignments, the budget that will be built this year, a CAFO expanding in Forestville, the recently released plans for Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower, and what Republicans may be planning for the state's abortion law.
Door Community Auditorium releases a slate of winter main-stage shows, coffeehouse concerts and talks. Plus, Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss Ephraim’s decision not to expand alcohol licenses in the village and Sturgeon Bay’s tribute to Jim Benesh.
The Door County Granary project and the Sister Bay-Liberty Grove Fire Department both won big awards in the $1.7-trillion Omnibus Appropriations Act that Congress passed just before Christmas. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks with Debra Fitzgerald about how these projects were funded and about Congressional earmarks in general. They also dive into Destination Door County's new Community Investment Grant program that will spend $1 million annually on local projects that benefit local people.
It looks like rental companies will be staying at the Sister Bay Marina after a December hearing brought dozens of people out in support of the operators. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Andrew Kleidon about that issue, plus three big decisions coming up for Ephraim. But first they introduce a new column debuting in this week’s Pulse and the aerial photography of Dan Anderson.
When Lawrence University found a new director for its Door County campus, Bjorklunden, it brought home a familiar face. Tom McKenzie talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about returning to the county where he co-founded the Pulse and how locals can get to know the 441-acre campus south of Baileys Harbor.
Dan Kane, Door County Director of Emergency Management and Communications, talks with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald about the critical employee shortage at the county's 24-7 dispatch operation that receives about 50,000 calls for help annually, and what the county is doing to attract and retain employees while filling the gaps in the short-term.
The real estate market has changed quite a bit since the Door County Board of Realtors (DCBR) was first founded 60 years ago. Debra Fitzgerald talks with Mary Kay Shumway, DCBR treasurer, and Jeff Isaksen, DCBR president, about the past, present and future of Door County real estate.
Tom Groenfeldt has written about the arts, business and technology for the Peninsula Pulse, but he got his start in Door County many years earlier as an intern for the Resorter Reporter. He talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about his stint as Chan Harris’s roving summer photography intern whose job was to capture scenes for the cover and inside pages of the publication.
It's a phrase we all use, but what exactly does it refer to? This week in the Pulse we sought to determine where the line demarcating northern Door County is – and found that it depends on who you ask. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon break it down.
If Door County is the Cape Cod of the Midwest, and the Cape is a far more thickly settled and visited place than Door County, what can Door County learn from the Cape about balancing environmental protections and economic progress? That's the conversation the Door County Environmental Council wanted to start when it guest-hosted the Cape Cod Commission's Erin Perry this fall. Andrew Kleidon talks with Deb Fitzgerald about that discussion and what Door County may be able to learn from the Cape's example.
The Sister Bay Marina Committee is considering eliminating commercial activity at the popular marina. That has ignited an avalanche of backlash from locals and visitors, including some of the 50,000 people who use the services each year to get on the water. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss the reasons behind the discussion, and what it might mean.
The fiction, nonfiction, poetry and photography winners of the Pulse's annual Hal Prize have been released in this year's 8142 Literary Review, which is hot off the press and available now. Grace Johnson, editor of the literary review, talks with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald about this year's contest winners (a local writer won the fiction category), the making of a literary journal and the local screening judges who decided which of the 686 submissions would be sent for final judging in each category.
Three weekends of Christkindlmarkt kicks off in Sister Bay over Thanksgiving weekend, and John Nelson of the Sister Bay Historical Society joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to tell us what to expect, new highlights, and what went into the creation of a hugely popular new holiday event.
Door County Sheriff Tammy Sternard talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the county's largest, tax-levy-supported department and how they enforce the law, community policing, mental health crisis call challenges, the county's jail population, and finding the employees needed for Door County's vital, public safety sector.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson to talk about how she spends her winter: with books. Door County Reads is on the horizon, plus a sneak peak at a profile on Door County author Jill Stukenberg from the winter Door County Living magazine. After the break, a deep dive into the final evolution of the cheese board: the butter board. What is it, and why was it the best thing Kleidon tasted all year?
What if we didn’t design our communities around cars? That’s the question Nate Bell, a trustee for the Village of Sister Bay and an avid cyclist, has been thinking about a lot since he started biking in 2020. He joins the podcast to talk about changing thinking when it comes to connecting communities and steps the village hopes to take in the coming years.
A walk in the park is something most of us take for granted. Adam Peronto and Kinect M1 are trying to make it possible for those who can’t. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Peronto about the Action Trackchair the organization hopes to donate to Peninsula State Park, and the experiences it provides for people with disabilities.
For Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald, election season brings adrenaline - and frustration. She joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss how the national political discourse now infiltrates the letters page of a small-town local newspaper, and how she wades through the mess. They also talk about the election signs that now dominate the county roadsides.
It’s a weekend of frightening fun in Door County, and Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. break down what they’re looking forward to, and Andrew airs his Halloween grievances. Then, they discuss the fire at Mr. G’s and the art of Nathan Hatch.
The Director of HELP of Door County, Milly Gonzales, joins Myles Dannhausen JR. to talk about the struggle to stop and prevent domestic abuse in Door County, and the many ways it impacts the community.
Susan Kohout and Ann Morgan with the League of Women Voters of Door County sits down with Debra Fitzgerald to talk about the organization's nonpartisan work to inspire civic involvement and education, and how they're recruiting the next generation of civic leaders who are so important to local communities and to the health of a strong republic.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon talk upcoming Halloween events, Fall 50 runners, and last week’s improv show at Peach Barn. Plus, they recap a Fall Fest weekend that has become much more than crowds and drinking, Dannhausen says.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Pulse reporter Sam Watson to talk about journalism, discovering Door County through writing, and how Watson tackles news reporting versus arts and entertainment writing.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Third Avenue PlayWorks artistic director Jacob Janssen to talk about his return to Door County, his first season at TAP, the importance of bringing a community together through theater, and TAP’s upcoming Play Reading Club.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon talk Pumpkin Patch and broadband progress in Liberty Grove. Then, we remember Patty Williamson, who for 14 years wrote hundreds of articles for the Pulse and became our office grandmother. Patty died in September not long after turning in her final article.
Michelle Lawrie, new executive director of the Door County Economic Development Corporation, talks with Pulse editor Deb Fitzgerald about the rebuilding of the nonprofit organization, the various economic challenges Door County faces, and the different economic industries that contribute to the peninsula's GDP (gross domestic product). She also talks about the October awareness campaign for Door County's largest economic industry - manufacturing.
Jessica Hatch, Door County broadband coordinator, sits down with Debra Fitzgerald to give an update on what her office is doing to help bring fast, reliable, affordable broadband to all homes and businesses in Door County.
Disc golf has rapidly gained popularity on the peninsula, with a half dozen courses now open or in the works. Shane Solomon of the Night Owls Disc Golf Podcast joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the sport’s growth and potential in Door County.
When a young woman faces a life-changing decision, she calls upon her inner circle to gather for an outdoor camping trip. Sunflowered is on stage at Northern Sky’s Gould Theater, and Andrew Kleidon is joined by Lachrisa Grandberry, Molly Rhode, Alexis J Roston, and Aidaa Peerzada to talk about the musicals inception, workshopping, and world premiere this season.
DKAF is back in person for the first time since 2020, and Andrew Kleidon is joined by Alan Kopischke to talk about the history and mission of the event, some of the guest artists who have come to Door County to workshop their art, and the full schedule of events this week at Bjorklunden. Find out more and buy tickets at doorkinetic.com
There are roughly 29 known species of orchids at The Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor and Tony Kiszonas is now responsible for assuring their health, productivity and future. While that may be a bit of an overstatement, it's not far from the truth: Tony is the Ridges new Director of Research, the organization's first. Tony talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the research being done at the Ridges – including what smelling an orchid root can reveal about the plants.
Sister Bay residents are fighting to preserve the old village hall, while Liberty Grove makes plans to remove old fishing shacks from its new public waterfront. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss how the two communities are thinking about the price of preserving history. Plus, a look at the new issue of Door County Living magazine, which includes a look back at Door County through images from 1974, before the boom.
Are small towns too small to self-govern? Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Deb Fitzgerald dive into that question in a week when Sevastopol officials held a last-second meeting to reconsider a rezoning request along an important highway corridor, and Judge Todd Ehlers overruled the Egg Harbor Plan Commission’s denial of a Conditional Use Permit for Shipwrecked’s expansion.
In this episode, Grace Johnson is joined by the 2022 Hal Prize Poetry judge Adrian Matejka. Matejka was named the new editor of Poetry Magazine in 2022, is the author of seven books and his poetry collection, The Big Smoke, was awarded the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize in poetry. The two talk poetry, how music inspires Matejka and the future of Poetry Magazine.
Peninsula State Park is in line for a host of upgrades this fall, including the repaving of some of its most-traveled roads. Superintendent Eric Hyde joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about new roads, a new playground, the totem pole, and more improvements coming to the state’s second most-popular-park.
The end may be coming for the Sister Bay Village Hall. The village has struggled to figure out what to do with the building for years, but its plan commission has now recommended it be removed to potentially make way for a new visitor center with better facilities. Andrew Kleidon talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the hall’s future, then they discuss the county’s deliberations over what to do with the intersection by Culver’s, where a run of crashes has left many looking for safety improvements.
In this episode, the Pulse's literature editor, Grace Johnson, is joined by author Toya Wolfe. Wolfe is one of the featured authors at the 2022 Washington Island Literary Festival, Sept. 15-17. Wolfe's debut novel, The Last Summer on State Street, was released this year to rave reviews. The two discuss how Wolfe's life experiences in the Robert Taylor Homes informed her story, writing fiction and how her story fits in with the theme of this year's festival – "Crossroads."
George Harmon, the winner of the 2021 Hal Prize for nonfiction visits the podcast studio to read his winning story, “The Beast that Ate Words.” Nonfiction judge Faith Adiele called the story “a breathless beast of an essay that reads like fiction.” Harmon recounts the scene of his early days in the newspaper industry at the Chicago Daily News, when the newsroom was rollicking, loud, and full of characters. The deadline for the 2022 Hal Prize is Sept. 16. You can read Harmon’s story, and all the winners of the 2021 Hal Prize, in the 8142 Review, available at DoorCountyPulse.com/store.
Brian Stephens, CEO of Door County Medical Center, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about construction progress at the hospital’s new Sister Bay clinic. They discuss what patients can expect to find there when it opens in the spring of 2023, the data behind the decision to build it, and what is next for the Fish Creek clinic.
As Door County's population and numbers of visitors continue to rise, so do the calls for help due to car crashes, falls, and accidents on the water and local trails. Aaron LeClair, director of the Door County Emergency Services department, joins Debra Fitzgerald in the Baileys Harbor studio to talk about the growing demand for his department, the top emergency calls they receive, where those emergencies are most likely to happen, educational opportunities to prevent emergencies and what the future holds for his county-wide department.
And just like that it's August! Andrew Kleidon and Sara Lancaster sit down to talk about the Dog Days of summer and all the sights, sounds and activities you'll want to cram into the final weeks of summer, including a tour of Door County's beaches by activity and trailblazer singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco's upcoming performance at Door Community Auditorium.
The “totem pole” that stood for 91 years on the Peninsula State Park Golf Course was quietly taken down this summer. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Andrew Kleidon about why it came down, and the story behind why and how it was erected in the first place. Plus, they discuss the reaction to a proposed housing development in Ephraim.
“Well, it’s been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon, Minnesota, my hometown, out there on the edge of the prairie…” The News from Lake Wobegon comes to Fish Creek as Garrison Keillor, writer, humorist and radio personality — most well known for hosting A Prairie Home Companion — brings his tour to Door Community Auditorium July 30. In advance of the show, Arts & Entertainment editor Sara Rae Lancaster caught up with Keillor by phone to talk about the tour, how he approaches writing for the stage versus the page, and why getting older is the best exercise for learning to live in the moment.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster, which means there is a ton of stuff to get out and do this weekend, like the debut of the Death’s Door Dance Festival. Also, Plein Air starts up this weekend, and a quick roundup of a few new restaurants that opened this year.
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Nic and Christiana Trapani, owners of Door County Candle Company in Carlsville, to talk about their wild journey that began with an intent to help their relatives in Ukraine and exploded into the sale of tens of thousands of candles and $700,000 donated to date to a Ukrainian nonprofit.
Andrew Kleidon talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about major changes that may be coming to Ephraim’s north end (and Andrew discovers where north Ephraim is!) in the form of a housing development and walking paths. Plus, a look at noise ordinances in Sister Bay and an airing of old grievances.
Andrew Kleidon and Sara Rae Lancaster are joined by Pulse intern Erica Bouska to talk about exploring Door County with fresh eyes. Bouska has taken it upon herself to hike every trail in Newport State Park, and you’re invited to join her on her journey.
As Egg Harbor continues to refine its plans for redesigning Highway 42 next year, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss concerns raised by property owners on the north end of the village about the impact the project will have on the landscape there. They also discuss the Women’s Walks that took place in Sturgeon Bay and Sister Bay earlier this week.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. catches up with Sarah and Jason White, owners of the Peach Barn Farmhouse and Brewery, to talk about the life U-turn that brought them to Sister Bay, stumbling into opening a brewery, and raising three girls in a beer garden.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Debra Fitzgerald about the cruise ship that came to town, the 32 awards the Peninsula Pulse received at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association contest and the transportation utility that Gibraltar has created to help pay for road maintenance.
Andrew Kleidon and Sara Rae Lancaster have pulled together a solid calendar of events taking place this holiday weekend, and are here to chat about some of the ones they are most excited about.
Grace Johnson is joined by the 2022 Hal Prize fiction judge, Joshua Phillip Johnson, to talk fantasy, his debut novel, writing habits and what he is looking for in a story.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. flies solo this week with some thoughts on the retirement of Public Health Director Sue Powers. Then, a trip through the final night for JJ’s La Puerta as it has come to be known and loved.
In this episode, Grace Johnson talks with Dominic Frandrup, the new director of the Door County Library. Frandrup talks about his time with the library, making the move to Door County and what he is looking forward to in his new position.
Trying to get to the bottom of what ‘affordable’ housing and ‘workforce’ housing means, and why rental prices that are supposed to be affordable for working people are not affordable for them, Peninsula Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with Professor Kurt Paulsen, an urban planner and economist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Paulsen’s research and teaching focuses on housing, affordable housing finance and policy. He’s also the author of the report, “Falling Behind: Addressing Wisconsin’s Workforce Housing Shortage to Strengthen Families.”
Door County’s first History Days kicks off June 20. Cody Schreck joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the week of events and why local history matters, both the good and the bad.
Sara Rae Lancaster is taking her yoga to new heights – about three feet off the ground to be precise. Lancaster and Andrew Kleidon talk all about trapeze yoga at Ironwood, as well as year two of the Sol Grass Music Festival on Washington Island. Also, this weekend the goats will take to the streets of Sister Bay for Goat Fest. Lancaster goes into the history of the festival, and a special surprise coming up next week.
Andrew Kleidon talks with Peninsula Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald about some of the news of the day, including who's running in the upcoming elections, what's happening with the Niagara Escarpment and the latest effort to help solve the affordable housing shortage.
There’s a ton of stuff going on this weekend, and Andrew Kleidon is primed and ready to deliver all the coolest events, from live music, farmers markets, gallery openings, and more, straight into your earholes in just under 15 minutes.
Peninsula Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald sits down with local astrologist Andria Nikoupolis Weliky to talk astrology: what it is, what it takes to be an astrologer, what astrologers do, what your sun sign means and what the stars say about our present and future worlds.
This week in the Pulse you’ll find a list of the Memorial Day services around the county, as well as a story on Dale Seaquist, who’s been playing “Taps” at Memorial Day services for over 75 years. Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster to talk about the weekends festivities, including Jacksonport’s Maifest, and more. Also, as folks fire up their grills for the first time this season, Lancaster and Kleidon share their tips on selecting the perfect cut of meat for the grill, and a recipe for a secret ingredient that is sure to kick up any cookout.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson to talk about a few special inclusions in this weeks pulse: the 2022 New Business List, and the Graduation Issue celebrating this years senior classes across the county. Also, some updates to the 2022 Hal Prize writing and photography contest. Then, this week the Ridges Sanctuary announced that it is purchasing the Ridges Inn & Suites and embarking on the development of a new master plan for the 85 year-old nature preserve. Executive Director Andy Gill joined the podcast to talk about what the purchase means for the Ridges and how the planning process will guide the organization.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen answer Door County’s most asked question: Are They Bloomin’ Yet? Also, quick access to defibrillators can mean the difference between life and death, something Sister Bay/ Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht has witnessed first-hand. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the podcast to talk about the Defibs4DoorCounty effort to raise $75,000 to expand access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for emergency responders and in high-capacity venues throughout the county.”
David Eliot and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss the 2022 Philanthropy edition of Door County Living magazine, which focuses on how Door County communities have invested more than $26 million to open public access to 2,700 feet of shoreline since 2007. The issue is available on newsstands now and was supported by grants from the Wisconsin Humanities Council’s Beyond the Headlines program.
Wayne Spritka, Door County facilities and parks director, and Burke Pinney, parks manager, join Debra Fitzgerald on the podcast to talk about what it takes to care for and maintain the many county-owned facilities – both human-made and natural – and including its 20 county parks. They also discuss what they’re doing to prepare for the season and how increased visitation has changed and shaped the county’s facilities.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster to talk about the Door County Half Marathon’s return to its normal, spring time slot. Lancaster shares the story of Relena Ribbons, the 2021 woman’s 1st place finisher, and talks about running as boon to mental health. Also, Kleidon checks in with Myles Dannhausen Jr. in Peninsula State Park to see how conditions will be for the upcoming race.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Stephen Kenny, outreach and policy associate for Transportation for America, about the money that will pour into states and counties and local communities over the next five years from the federal government, and how communities like Door County can spend it differently to promote active transportation, cut greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health and keep people safer.
With National Travel and Tourism Week coming May 1-7, Destination Door County CEO Julie Gilbert and Communications Director Jon Jarosh join the podcast to talk about the booming state of tourism in Door County and what that means for visitors and residents. The discussion includes the organization's shift from a membership to a partnership-driven model, a new granting program to help area communities, and the continuing shift to destination management and what that means in practice.
Deb Fitzgerald joins Andrew Kleidon to talk about some exciting changes happening at the Pulse, as well as some local news of the day. This includes why Gov. Tony Evers and Department of Natural Resources Secretary Preston Cole drove up from Madison on a blustery day to make an announcement about Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower.
Arts & Entertainment editor Sara Rae Lancaster is joined by singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah in advance of her May 13 solo show at Door Community Auditorium. Describing her sound as "Southern Gothic," Kiah talks about the creative process behind her songwriting, her list of musical influences and learning to let her music take on a sound and personality of its own.
Deb Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the 2022 Sustainability Issue, where transportation takes center stage. We talk public transit, bike lanes, complete streets, and the possibilities for better ways to get around in Door County.
Andy Gill, the executive director of the Ridges Sanctuary, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about new projects at the Baileys Harbor nature preserve. Gill discusses his path to the Ridges and what it’s like to step into the lead of such a long-established organization. They also discuss what’s coming this summer with a special art installation at Horseshoe Bay Farms.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster to breakdown the upcoming Easter Egg Hunts across the county, as well as discuss some tips on making all natural, vibrant, and unique egg dyes. Also how to incorporate massage into a healthy lifestyle, and some new ways to utilize your holiday leftovers to make new recipes, including using hard boiled eggs to make cookie dough.
Andrew Kleidon and Sara Rae Lancaster share stories and tips from the 2022 Door Wedding magazine, including how to plan the perfect, hyper-local wedding, tips for the groom on packing a destination wardrobe, and more. Also, a look at the Sawyer family, and their 5 generations of Door County weddings.
This week on the podcast, we discuss new zoning rules to nudge affordable housing forward, what students learned from the Youth in Government program – and what those in government can learn from those students – and what Tuesday’s local election results tell us.
Andrew Kleidon and Sara Rae Lancaster are gearing up for spring (as soon as the snow finally melts) with a few tips on making the most of your early summer prep, including preparing a kitchen garden, and cross training and supplemental training (especially for those getting ready for the Door County Half Marathon, May 7.) After the break Sara breaks down her favorite small and easy ways to better yourself this year, starting with reducing added sugar intake.
Local school, county, and municipal board elections are coming up Tuesday. Plus, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon recap last week’s roundtable discussion on childcare, housing, and workforce development that included representatives from Gov. Tony Evers’ office, local housing advocates, business owners, and childcare leaders.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. recap the Gibraltar basketball team's historic run at the state championship last week, and break down what happened at the Egg Harbor campground when seasonal campers received notice that rates were increasing 71%, and they had three weeks to remove their campers if they couldn't pay.
Andrew Kleidon and Sara Rae Lancaster get together for a pre-Spring check-in. What restaurants are open, where's the live music, and what are we looking forward to as the snow melts. Also, a look at several bicycling topics, from getting your bike tuned up before your first ride of the season, to a mountain biking club forming at Peninsula State Park, and a look at Cycling Without Age, a group dedicated to providing bike rides to the elderly and those with mobility challenges and disabilities.
Kurt Kiefer is the former Assistant State Superintendent of Libraries and Technology and when he and his wife retired to Baileys Harbor last year, he didn’t waste any time helping the town get ready for bringing high-speed, dependable, low-cost broadband to every home and business. Kiefer sits down with Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald, to outline the 1-2-3’s that Baileys Harbor is following and that other municipalities can use to get set for broadband in their towns.
For 32 year Greg Diltz has been the local expert on cell service in northern Door County. Greg has announced his retirement and is selling Northern Door Communications, but not before joining Myles Dannhausen Jr. for a look back at the evolution of communication in the county, changes in emergency services, and finding your way into business in a small town you didn’t expect to call home.
It was a wrap for the Wisconsin Assembly last week and Peninsula Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Rep. Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay) to talk about session highlights, local impacts and Kitchens' plan to run for reelection in November.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Ann Morgan, the founder of 100+ Women Who Care about the organization’s simple approach that opens the doors to giving to the broader community.
The organization has donated $270,000 to area nonprofits since it was founded in 2018.
The county pulled in more than $138 million in lodging revenue in 2021, shattering previous records. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Andrew Kleidon about what it tells us about tourism in Door County now and in the year ahead. Plus, Dannhausen talks to short-term-rental operator Rob Esposito about a different way to regulate the industry.
Debra Fitzgerald joins the podcast to talk about the tragic fire at Butch's Bar in Sturgeon Bay. But first, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Fitzgerald discuss a proposal for a Starbucks at the old Woldt's Corner location, good news for Pebble Beach, and a potential change to shoreline building rules.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Dan Peterson about the sale of the Viking Grill, the Ellison Bay mainstay that he has owned since 1984. We also outline potential plans to expand sanitary lines in Fish Creek and what that could mean for future housing development.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Sara Rae Lancaster to talk about the ice carving competition this weekend during Fire & Ice in Sturgeon Bay. Also, Carly Sarkis of Destination Sturgeon Bay breaks down all of the events offerings, from fireworks, the online auction, community snowman building, and more.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Northern Door Pride's President Owen Alabado to talk about his journey from L.A. to Door County, the beginnings of Northern Door Pride, their mission and creative events, and a sneak peak at the upcoming cabaret performance: For the Love of Love on Feb. 17.
Learn more about the performance here: https://www.northerndoorpride.com/event-details/for-the-love-of-love-a-cabaret
Andrew Kleidon talks with Sara Rae Lancaster about the upcoming Pond Hockey tournament at the Sister Bay ice rink. Also, a conversation with Pond Hockey veteran Simon Hedeen about the ins and outs of the sport, and the pros and cons of it's new location.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald to talk about a pending management change — and perhaps even a change in the location, down the road — for the Sturgeon Bay Farmers Market; how the county is looking at spending some $5.3 million in pandemic-related funding; and the latest on the Potawatomi State Park Observation Tower.
In October 2021, Write On, Door County held the first Door County author book fair, bringing together more than 30 local authors. Following the fair, the authors continued to meet to provide support for each other, eventually coming together formally as the Door County Published Authors Collective. They hope to make Door County not only a center of the visual arts, but literature as well. Grace Johnson chats with one of the group organizers and author, Dan Powers, to learn more about the group and how other authors can join.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. break down the latest info from Door County Medical Center about the number of hospital beds being filled by COVID patients. After the break, a look at how many restaurants have changed owners, been revamped, or been closed over the last year, including the recent turnover at the Whistling Swan and Harbor View Grille.
The Boys and Girls Club of Door County has experienced a lot of turnover in recent years. New CEO Eric Blumreich joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the future of the club, it’s role in the community, and how he hopes to bring stability to the position and the organization. Blumreich comes to Door County from St. Norbert College, where he spend the last five years in development department, and Blumreich has been involved with a number of other youth-focused organizations including Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), International Youth Sailing of Oshkosh, and PALS as a mentor and board member.
Peninsula Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with high-performance architect and home builder Virge Temme upon the occasion of Temme's retirement from building sustainable and net-zero homes in Door County; and what's next for an architect who still wants to change the world one house at a time.
Pulse editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with Beth Renstrom, executive director of the Door County Granary project, and Laurel Hauser, vice president of the board of the Sturgeon Bay Historical Society Foundation that owns the structure, about the history of the granary, how the project came to be and what's in store for the project by June of this year.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to journalist Gloria Liu about how officials and organizers in Crested Butte, Colorado have found ways to address the shortage of affordable housing in the seasonal ski resort town. Liu’s article “How to Save A Ski Town,” appeared in Outside magazine in November, and describes a situation strikingly similar to Door County’s own housing struggles.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson to talk about 2022 reading goals, and ways to help you meet yours, like local book clubs, reading groups, and the upcoming Door County Reads events.
Also, submissions for the 2022 Hal Prize are now open for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry and Photography.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. catches up with Nate Bell, the Pulse’s Chief Technology Officer and a Sister Bay Trustee. Bell, who graduated from Gibraltar in 1999, talks about growing into public service in his hometown, how a personal crisis and COVID-19 collided to lead to his own physical and mental health transformation, and how becoming a cyclist made him rethink how we plan our communities.
After a completely tangential conversation about The Matrix, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon give you the lowdown on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day festivities in Door County.
It started with one man and a dream, and now each Jan. 1 J.R. Jarosh is joined by hundreds of friends for a dip in Lake Michigan. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Jarosh about the Jacksonport Polar Bear Club, pro tips for a successful plunge, and what makes a great home bar.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss the $3.5 million grant to support child care initiatives in Door County. Then Larry “Thor” Thoreson joins the podcast to read his moving eulogy for the late Carol Newman, who kept the light on at the Pioneer Store for more than 50 years.
Before the Year in Review issue of the Peninsula Pulse is available this week, Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. sit down to go over the biggest stories from the year. Topics of discussion include: How restaurants navigated the labor shortage, steps forward on internet access and affordable housing, an ambitious year in theater, and much more. Plus, our predictions on what 2022 has in store.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. is joined by Destination Door County’s new CEO, Julie Gilbert, to discuss what brought her to the peninsula, what she’s learned during her first month on the job and how she’s attacking the challenges facing the organization and the industry.
Heidi Hammel, the Vice President for Science at the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss the James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch Dec. 22. The telescope is expected to revolutionize astronomy. Hammel, one of the world’s leading astronomers, tells you what the Webb will mean for science and our understanding of the universe.
Dr. Jim Heise of Door County Medical Center talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about the spike in COVID-19 hospitalizations in Door County and the strain it is putting on an already taxed hospital staff. Nearly all of the hospitalizations in Door County are unvaccinated individuals, who now make up almost half of the daily inpatient census at the hospital.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. to wish JJ's bartender Dave Johnson well as he moves on to work at the Alpine, and how small town bartenders help create the fabric of a community. Also, Myles does a deep dive on the history of the Glenn Miller Orchestra, who is playing at Door Community Auditorium on Dec. 11, and a car accidentally drives through the Family Video next to Pizza Hut in Sturgeon Bay.
Amy Kohnle, executive director of United Way of Door County, joins the podcast to talk about the convergence of problems pinching the pocketbooks of the peninsula’s working poor. From the rising cost of basic goods to the lack of housing, it’s getting more difficult for people to get ahead. Kohnle talks about what United Way is doing to try to help, and the organization’s goal for the 2021 fundraising campaign.
Amy Kohnle, executive director of United Way of Door County, joins the podcast to talk about the convergence of problems pinching the pocketbooks of the peninsula’s working poor. From the rising cost of basic goods to the lack of housing, it’s getting more difficult for people to get ahead. Kohnle talks about what United Way is doing to try to help, and the organization’s goal for the 2021 fundraising campaign.
Few destinations offer the experience found in Door County – great wages for seasonal work, easy proximity to beaches and incredible outdoor experiences, great nightlife, and as much work responsibility as you want to take on. That’s why Peninsula Pulse is launching a workforce recruitment campaign to put the peninsula back on the agenda of high school students, college students looking for summer jobs, and parents who want to see their kids make money, take on a challenge, and get great work and life experience. Myles Dannhausen Jr. is joined by David Eliot to talk about their experiences working as young adults in Door County, and the need they are seeing to bring a stronger workforce back. Then, a conversation with Peninsula Filmworks intern turned Pulse photographer Rachel Lukas about her experience working in the county for the first time, and why she's chosen to stay.
Morgan Mann and Steven Rice from the Door County Library stopped by the Peninsula Pulse recording studio to talk with Grace Johnson about the featured books, event highlights and 15 years’ worth of Door County Reads. There may even be a few trivia questions, too!
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. to round up all of the upcoming Thanksgiving and Holiday events happening over the next three weekends in Door County.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss what may be the peak of AJ Dillon's career – getting the key to Door County. Then a discussion of COVID-19 hospitalizations. And, on Monday, voters in the Town of Gibraltar approved the purchase of 0.49 acres of property on the shoreline adjacent to the town dock for $3.5 million.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson to talk about what she's been diving into lately. From her epic homemade Beetlejuice halloween costume, to beginning NaNoWriMo, and her experience with the new Door County Pilates studio. Also, a few weeks back we pondered whatever happened to the Scholastic Book Fair of our youth, and we had several people write us with more information. Johnson did a deep dive into the book fair's inner workings, and answered the question, though the journey left her feeling conflicted.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. share sneak peaks of the Winter 2021 Door County Living Magazine, and the Peninsula Pulse's newest publication, the 1842 Review, a literary magazine which contains this years Hal Prize winners. Also, a look back at the past as the historic ship, the SS Badger, returns to Bay Shipbuilding. And, a reflection on the life of Ephraim artist Franne Dickinson, who passed away in October.
For five years Cal Poly professor Dave Amos has been making complex planning and zoning topics interesting and even fun through his YouTube channel, CityBeautiful. The Sturgeon Bay native joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. for a conversation about what makes a beautiful neighborhood. What makes a neighborhood walkable? What role do trees play in making great public spaces? Should we get rid of parking minimums? Do wider roads make for safer communities? How does single-family zoning drive up the cost of housing? Amos touches on all these topics and more in this episode and dives in even deeper in his video series, which we urge you to explore at https://www.youtube.com/c/CityBeautiful
For the past few months the Peninsula Pulse has been working in support of the team at Wisconsin Watch on a series of articles examining how a climate “tug of war” is driving extreme shifts in Lake Michigan’s water levels. Wisconsin Watch reporter Mario Koran speaks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about what he learned reporting on the issue from Door County.
The first story is available here: “The Water Always Wins”: Calls to protect shorelines as volatile Lake Michigan inflicts heavy toll
Andrew Kleidon grabs David Eliot for a quick chat before hundreds of runners make their way into Peninsula State Park for the Door County Half Marathon this weekend. The race was postponed from May 2020 to October 2021, which means runners will have a full summer of training under their belt as they run through the fall colors of the park.
This week on the podcast we have stories about what this community means to us, and to others discovering it for the first time. Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon joins the podcast (at the 28:42 mark) to talk about his love of all things Door County and the Packers’ five-game winning streak as they prepare to take on the Washington Football Team.
But first, Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. catch up on the news of the week, including a look at what July’s room tax returns tell us and a recap of the sporting event of the year – the Fall Fest Derby.
On this week’s Door County Pulse Podcast, Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Pam Seiler and Cameryn Ehlers-Kwaterski about what’s next for Destination Sturgeon Bay as Seiler hands over the reins of the organization. Ehlers-Kwaterski and Dannhausen also discuss how the changes to the city and throughout the county are helping to draw home young families like hers.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by a very tired Myles Dannhausen Jr., who had just come away from two back-to-back Egg Harbor Plan Commission meetings, to discuss Shipwrecked's denied proposal to expand their restaurant, and One Barrel Brewing's accepted proposal to add additional parking spaces, as well as add a storage building. Also, Dannhausen talks about Fish Creek's accepted $3.5 million bid to expand their town dock, and Destination Door County's hiring of Julie Gilbert as their new President and CEO.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Louise Howson about what’s coming at Sister Bay’s 75th annual Fall Festival this weekend, including the return of a long-lost event and a Sunday surprise. Get the details on the key times for the big events, music, food and what makes Fall Fest so special.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by former Pulse intern turned Pulse photographer Rachel Lukas to talk about how she approaches photographing the sights, people, and events of Door County.
Door County Medical Center is building a 30,000 square foot clinic in Sister Bay, bringing a dramatically expanded service to northern Door County. Brian Stephens talks to Myles Dannhausen about the plan, what it brings to the community, and the future of health care in northern Door County.
In August, the U.S. Census Bureau released the data necessary for state and local governments to redraw the political-district maps that will be in place for the next 10 years. While state lawmakers wrangle new district lines into place for the state’s 99 Assembly seats, 33 Senate seats and eight congressional districts, counties map out their own districts. Door County appointed an ad hoc committee that worked with county staff to get the job done, and the Door County Board of Supervisors approved those once-in-a-decade maps last week for the county’s 21 county supervisory districts. The number of districts has remained the same, but the configurations have changed – some significantly. Andrew Kleidon is joined by Debra Fitzgerald for a civics lesson on what these maps do, how they are drawn, and what special considerations are placed upon them to ensure equal and fair representation for voters.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster to talk all about food and Fall. Sara breaks down a number of stories she's done on local efforts to reuse food waste through composting, as well as some tips she has for the aspiring homesteader on harvesting, foraging, and preserving your bounty through the winter. Also, a look at the science behind the fall colors, when they may peak, and how vibrant they might be this year – and some tips for fall camping.
After a brief conversation on event fashion, Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk about a number of recent galas and gatherings, including the Door County Economic Development Corporation’s (DCEDC) reimagined and expanded award ceremony, which honored new faces and old during the DCEDC’s annual investors’ meeting and luncheon Sept. 22 at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay. Also, Paula Anschutz has worked hard to preserve several cabins from the Little Sister Resort property, which she plans to convert into affordable seasonal housing, and Myles breaks down the Egg Harbor Village Board's new parking ordinance.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson to talk about her journey to visit all of seven of Door County's independent booksellers from Algoma all the way to Washington Island. Johnson shares her experience at each shop, what they stock, and where to find what you're looking for whether you're a casual book reader, or a die-hard enthusiast.
Room tax rates will go up to 8% on Jan. 1, which has caused many people to ask why we need more money for tourism attraction. But Dave Eliot, who has led the room tax charge, said it’s not about getting more money for marketing, but creating a tool to invest in our biggest problems.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Nickolas Butler, author of the internationally bestselling and prize-winning Shotgun Lovesongs, which has been optioned for film development, The Hearts of Men – short-listed for two of France’s most prestigious literary prizes even before being published in America – as well as Little Faith, Beneath the Bonfire, In Western Counties and newly released this year, Godspeed. Butler talks about his process, his inspirations, and his return to Door County this year for the Write On Gala on Thursday, Sept. 23.
11 units coming to Baileys Harbor at the Lakeshore Adventures location in Baileys Harbor, Door County Economic Development Center executive director Steve Jenkins' idea to build a modular home factory in Door County, and Paula Anschutz's attempt to save some cabins from the Little Sister Resort property to use for seasonal housing in Sister Bay. Also, an update on the steadily growing COVID-19 numbers in Door County, and a quick look at the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer's on Sept. 11.Also, an update on the steadily growing COVID-19 numbers in Door County, and a quick look at the upcoming Walk to End Alzheimer's on Sept. 11.
Storytellers wanted! Want to get published in 25,000 copies of the Peninsula Pulse and in the inaugural 8142 Review, the new literary journal from the Peninsula Pulse and Write On, Door County? The Hal Prize offers prizes for works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and photography. Work will be judged by a prestigious panel of writers and photographers. Coburn and Tad Dukehart will lend their eye to the photography contest in 2021. Coburn is the multimedia director for the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, and Tad retired to Door County after a 40-year career in news photography in Washington DC. Faith Adiele takes on the mantle for nonfiction this year. Adiele has won a Pen Award, been featured in a documentary for PBS and was Thailand’s first Black Buddhist nun. She has worked in collaboration with HBO’s Calm, where her story was read by actor Idris Elba. Lan Samantha Chang joins this year’s lineup as the fiction judge. This Appleton native is is the director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and has received creative writing fellowships from Stanford University, Princeton University, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. Mark Wunderlich, the author of four books and winner of the Rilke Prize, will judge poetry. He is a member of the Literature Faculty at Bennington College in Vermont, and where he became the first director of Poetry at Bennington. He is the recipient of Writers at Work Award, the Jack Kerouac Prize and fellowships from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and the MacDowell Colony. Prizes First place in all categories receives $250 and a Hal Prize mug from Clay Bay Pottery Second place in all categories receives $100 Third place in all categories receives $50 The 8142 Review will be published in November 2021, when winners are announced. Visit www.thehalprize.com to enter and for more information.
Debra Fitzgerald talks with Egg Harbor resident and retired Marine Lt. Col. Craig Harvey, a 24-year veteran who served two combat tours in Iraq and a year of duty in Afghanistan. They cover the execution of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, how the war has been framed for the American people over the past two decades and America's role in foreign countries.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with his wife, Victoria Linstrom, to talk about Fika Bakery and Coffeehouse, located just north of the Fish Creek YMCA. Fika is a family run bakery with deep Swedish roots going on its 5th season in Door County, offering baked goods, coffee, cafe items, and – of course – cinnamon rolls as big as your head.
Peninsula Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Pulse freelancer Jackson Parr, a fellow with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, to discuss some of the findings that emerged from the Door County Budget Project. A year in the making, the project commissioned by the Pulse allows readers to compare and contrast the spending habits and values of all Door County’s 19 municipalities and the County of Door based upon the 2021 budgets. The report is intended to increase transparency between residents and their local governments, educate municipal officials and their constituents on trends and challenges in local government finance and improve local budget reporting at the Pulse.
David Eliot and Thomas McKenzie became co-founders of the Peninsula Pulse in the summer of 1996. In this episode of the Story of the Pulse, Andrew Kleidon is joined by Eliot and McKenzie, who share stories about meeting at Lawrence University, their eventual move to Door County and the first five years of the publication.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss some interesting takeaways from the recent census, including that the county's population has increased by the most significant margin in decades. Also, a look at the increasing COVID-19 numbers and hospitalizations, and more.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. catches up with new Door County YMCA Director Heidi Erickson and membership director Tonya Felhofer. They talk about how the Y is bouncing back from COVID, why Erickson came back to the Door, and big plans for the Sturgeon Bay program center.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen to go over Egg Harbors decision on whether or not to bury their power lines as a part of their highway project, as well as a look at room tax numbers from spring, and what they might tell us about how many people are visiting the county.
David Eliot and Thomas McKenzie became co-founders of the Peninsula Pulse in the summer of 1996. In this episode of the Story of the Pulse, Andrew Kleidon is joined by McKenzie to talk about his recollection of spending time with his uncle, James McKenzie, backstage at the Peninsula Players Theatre, his meeting Eliot at Lawrence University, and how the Pulse was born.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles to talk a bit about Egg Harbors upcoming meeting on whether or not to bury their power lines, as well as a slew of other happenings coming up this weekend and beyond, including Sturgeon Bay’s Maritime Week, the Peninsula Pulse Presents: The Danberry’s, Andrew’s thoughts on Northern Sky’s Not Even Remotely, and much more.
The father/daughter duo of Tad and Coburn Dukehart discuss capturing faces behind masks, what makes a great photograph, and what they’ll be looking for as co-judges of this year’s Hal Prize for photography, (and what they’re NOT looking for).
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen to discuss the latest COVID-19 numbers, and how Door County compares to the rest of the U.S. and abroad, and Myles shares his feelings coming away from a meeting this week where the Ephraim Planning Commission denied O'Malley's Inn into affordable, workforce housing.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Sara Rae Lancaster to talk about the tips, stories, and vendors featured in the all new 2021 Door Wedding magazine.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen talk about the battle for Door County League supremacy between the first-place Sister Bay Bays and the second-place Washington Island Islanders that took place on Washington Island. Also, a look at the importance of exploring Cave Point County Park safely, after multiple water rescues and fatalities in the County over the last year. And, Myles remembers Bob Lautenbach, and looks at what he spent his life building, after his passing last week.
In 2002 journalist Dan Egan wrote an article for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel titled “Is Door County too pretty for its own good?” about fears the peninsula was attracting too many people. Sound familiar? He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to give some historical context to the debate about overtourism. Plus, they discuss his recent New York Times article about how climate change threatens Chicago, and what to take from this summer’s declining water levels.
Dan Egan is an environmental journalist and author of the book The Death and Life of the Great Lakes. Dan is one of the foremost chroniclers of the Great Lakes region, He now lives in Milwaukee where he is a journalist in residence at the Center for Water Policy at UW - Milwaukee, but he’s also a longtime visitor to Door County.
Chicago: A Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/07/07/climate/chicago-river-lake-michigan.html
Andrew Kleidon recently sat down with Peninsula Players Artistic Director Greg Vinkler on the Door County Pulse Podcast, to talk about projects the Players embarked on in 2020, why in-person seasons look different at professional theaters this year, and what people can expect from the Players 2021 season.
The Door County Triathlon returns July 17-18, which can’t come soon enough for director Sean Ryan. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about what it was like to be an event director without events during the pandemic and what to expect at this year’s event. They also discuss the impact silent sports events have had on the local economy and the changing face of the Door County visitor.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss the latest on Egg Harbor's highway construction project, including their plans for developing Church Street, as well as a look at Liberty Grove's ongoing discussion on Short Term Rental regulation.
Also, a look at The Peninsula Pulse Presents: A Tale of Two, the southern gothic rock band performing in Door County this summer, Lars Topplemann takes his wing foil out into Ephraim harbor, and more.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Northern Sky's Artistic Director Jeff Herbst to talk about the 2021 season. What did the company learn from a year of virtual performances? What concessions had to be made to produce a live season this year, and why do those concessions have to be made? And a look at all of the shows coming up in Peninsula State Park and at the Gould theater in Fish Creek this year.
Dave Eliot joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. on the podcast to talk about the return of Fourth of July celebrations to the peninsula this weekend. They talk about where to go to catch big events, fireworks, parades, and why we love Independence Day in Door County. Plus, a look inside the pages of the new Door County Living magazine.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss the latest at Mariners Park in Gills Rock, as well as the recent sale of the old Nicolet Bank building in Sturgeon Bay. Also, a number of festivals are coming up this weekend, from Open Door Pride, to new events like the Sol Grass Music Festival on Washington Island, and the Times of Future Past festival in Kewaunee.
Deb Fitzgerald sits down with Steve Vavrus, Sr. Scientist at the Nelson Institute at UW-Madison, to talk about climate change and what’s in store for Wisconsin in general and Door County’s specifically. They also discussed what’s causing climate change, and some ways people can change their behaviors to reduce their carbon footprints.
Last year parents in Sturgeon Bay nearly lost their primary child care provider. In northern Door County, talk of Gibraltar School adding 4 year-old kindergarten has the area's main child care provider on edge. Myles Dannhausen Jr. is joined by Cindy Trinkner-Peot of Northern Door Children's Center and Alexis Fuller of the Door Community Child Development Center to discuss the challenges that area child care providers are facing and what the future of child care might look like.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Special Issues Editor Grace Johnson and Vanessa McGowan, musician and Pulse music writer, to talk about everything you can find within the 2021 Summer Music Preview. This years issue is full to the brim with featured musicians, including two bands presented by the Peninsula Pulse, weekly live music, performance venues, interesting band names, and more. For more live music, concerts, and more, check out the events calendar at https://doorcountypulse.com/events/
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen sit down to talk about a trifecta of Gibraltar news stories, including a lawsuit between the town and the Alibi Docks, the school district looks at starting 4K kindergarten, and three administrators have resigned in less than a month. Also, Andrew recaps Northern Sky's production of Not Even Remotely, and looks forward to their first in-person show.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss the state of tourism in Door County, specifically whether the county is tapped out. They look back at tourism’s late-90s peak, the impact of room tax and public investments in attractions and infrastructure, and the data that could give us insights into whether tourism has - in fact - reached a new level in Door County.
For more context on Door County’s recent tourism history:
From 2007: Treading Lightly: Can Door County Maintain its Character While Attracting More Visitors? https://doorcountypulse.com/treading-lightly/
From 2009: How tourism expenditures are calculated https://doorcountypulse.com/playing-with-numbers/
From 2008: Tourism Spending Dropped in 2007 https://doorcountypulse.com/tourism-spending-dropped-in-2007-2/
From 2008: Steve Grutzmacher on the Stagnant Door County Tourism Industry https://doorcountypulse.com/an-outlook-10/
From 2008: Rebounding: Bringing Tourism Market Back Requires More than Marketing https://doorcountypulse.com/rebounding/
From 2010: Time for New Thinking: Expert gives perspective on how a community can retain its character https://doorcountypulse.com/time-for-new-thinking/
From 2012: Dead Zone: Sister Bay Business Climate Goes Cold https://doorcountypulse.com/dead-zone-sister-bay-business-climate-goes-cold/
From 2017: Dead Zone No More: How Sister Bay Came Back https://doorcountypulse.com/dead-zone-no-more-sister-bays-rebound/
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to New York Times best-selling author Andrew Maraniss, author of “Singled Out,” the story of Glenn Burke, Major League Baseball’s first openly gay player and the inventor of the high five. Maranis discusses why Burke was run out of baseball in his prime, as well as the importance of writing trusting young readers with difficult subjects.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. to remember Curtis Mickelson, a 22 year-old airman who died in a plane crash in 1951, and Bill Guenzel, a founding board member of Write On, Door County and a generous donor to dozens of Door County nonprofits and causes ranging from arts and culture, to health care, to youth projects, who died on May 7 at the age of 74. Also, a preliminary conceptual plan for a subdivision of 43 lots on the quarry property near George Pinney County Park is proposed.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by David Eliot to kick off Memorial Day Weekend with a quick list of some of the great new and returning events this year, including the first in-person run in the county this summer, live music is back in a big way, several gallery openings and exhibits to see, and much, much more.
Check out the events calendar at www.doorcountypulse.com for even more great stuff to do all summer long.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen chat about some of the new businesses and experiences available this year, from Myles' jaunt up the newly completed Eagle Tower, a look inside the Dorr Hotel, and a few shoutouts from the New Business issue of the Peninsula Pulse, available now.
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Annette Langlois Grunseth, a Green Bay poet who recently launched her latest book, Combat and Campus: Writing Through War, with a virtual event at Write-On. The book of poems was inspired by her brother, Sgt. Peter Langlois, and includes his correspondence home during the Vietnam war.
How does Door County get big acts? Vanessa McGowan joins Andrew Kleidon to discuss the hacks that touring artists use to squeeze big shows into small towns like Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek. But first, Myles Dannhausen Jr. joins Kleidon to talk about a county coming to life after a year in lockdown. Galleries are hosting shows, restaurants are re-opening their doors, and event directors are making plans for a summer sort of normal.
A proposed ordinance in the Town of Sevastopol would have crippling implications for vacation home rental operators in the community. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Debra Fitzgerald about why the town is considering limits on short-term-rentals, how it could impact the industry, and the larger questions about STRs raised in communities throughout the peninsula.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss what's in store for The Alpine now that it has sold after 100 years in the Bertschinger family. They also take a look at what's happening with another historic lodge, the former Little Sister Resort property, and the ongoing development pressures in Egg Harbor.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Door County's resident Star Wars Super Fan Lauren Ward to talk about all things Star Wars, including how she would include Star Wars trivia as extra credit when she was a teacher at Gibraltar, the three generations of Star Wars Fans, and the different levels of fandom, controversial Star Wars opinions, and more. May the Fourth be with you!
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Sturgeon Bay poet Mike Orlock, who was appointed Door County’s new poet laureate during the March 23 meeting of the Door County Board of Supervisors, to talk about his upcoming tenure, his approach as a poet, and his two poetry collections: You Can Get There From Here: Poems of Door County & Other Places and Poetry Apocalypse & Selected Verse.
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with the Door County Economic Development Corporation's Executive Director Steve Jenkins, and Director of Communications & Workforce Development Kelsey Fox to talk about the challenges that face Door County businesses in 2021, including challenges with J-1 workers, limited workforce housing, and more.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Debra Fitzgerald to talk about this years Sustainability special issue, including answering the question: "Do trees talk to each other?" Also, a short discussion on the difference between a town, a village, and a city, following questions about the Bailey's Harbor vote to purchase the Nelson's property on April 20th, and a look the upcoming season as more businesses begin to open each week.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr to discuss the town of Bailey's Harbor's vote to purchase the waterfront property that was once Nelson's Hardware. Also, Eagle Tower will be open to the public on April 30th, and an update on the current percentage of vaccinated people in Door County.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the 2021 Door County Living Magazine Philanthropy Issue – how it was put together, some unique stories from the past year, including how nonprofits and other organizations took their meetings online and the advantages that provided some of them, a look at several community members who stepped up and lead by example, and the announcement of the 2021 Philanthropist of the Year: David Eliot.
Andrew Kleidon and Debra Fitzgerald discuss a few stories of the week, including the city of Sturgeon Bay's decision to remove their tornado sirens, worker shortages in the manufacturing sector, and the lighting design of Jimmy Balistreri. Also, Deb spoke with leading climate scientist and communicator Katharine Hayhoe about the most important thing you can do to fight climate change: Talk about it.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Pulse Co-Founder David Eliot and his dog, Oxford, to talk about the history of the Peninsula Pulse. On this episode, Dave takes us back to 2008, where a conversation was taking place around a table at Al Johnson's that would lead to the very first Door County Half Marathon, and the formation of the Peninsula Pacers, which would bring thousands of new faces to Door County to run, bike, play hockey, and drink good beer for years to come.
The 2021 Hal Prize is open and accepting submissions in fiction, nonfiction, poetry and photography until September 15th. This week Andrew Kleidon chats with Leena and Glenn Meyers who won the Hal Prize in Photography in 2019 and 2020 respectively, to talk about how their photography journey began, and how Glenn continues to be inspired by his daughters work.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Baileys Harbor Interim Town Chair David Eliot to talk about what the future might look like after the Baileys Harbor Town Board voted unanimously on March 25th to agree to a purchase price of $1.95 million for the former Nelson's Hardware Store property adjacent to the town marina. The proposal will go to a vote at the Baileys Harbor annual meeting April 20.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the Premier Resort Area Tax that Ephraim will vote on April 6, as well as a brief discussion on COVID vaccination progress in Door County. They also touch on Baileys Harbor's proposal to purchase the Nelson's Hardware store property and new businesses are popping up in 2021.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Pulse Co-Founder David Eliot and his dog, Oxford, to talk about the history of the Peninsula Pulse. On this episode, Dave goes over the last five years, coming to call Bailey's Harbor home, how the community has changed, and how it's stayed the same. Also, in 2020 after years of construction to create the Pulse's final home, Dave sits alone in the office one March morning after sending the staff to work from home in response to rapidly increasing cases of COVID-19 in America, wondering when – or if – the newly finished office will be full again.
Andrew Kleidon and Debra Fitzgerald go over some of the stories from the last week, including 13 fishermen were rescued from the ice in Nasewaupee, tracking the strange path of governmental approvals regarding an ATV trail in Sturgeon Bay, and what went down at the Egg Harbor Board of Supervisors meeting to deny the proposed Dollar General, and how residents reacted.
Horseshoe Bay Farms has been an icon of Egg Harbor for more than a century, but a new nonprofit has formed to bring it new life. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to its new Executive Director, Drew Richmond, about its past, present, and the ambitious plans for the future of the historic property.
A few short years into the publication of the Peninsula Pulse, Myles Dannhausen Jr. saw within its pages, not only stories that spoke to him as a kid in Door County, but an opportunity to grow his fledgling family business, Dano’s Peninsula Pizza through advertising. Luckily for him, when Pulse founder David Eliot walked through the doors of Dano’s for the first time, he saw an opportunity in Dannhausen as well – free pizza. 25 years later, Eliot and Dannhausen are business partners, and on this episode of the Door County Pulse Podcast Dannhausen remembers the early days of the Pulse, how his contributions grew beyond pizza to writing, and the journey he and Eliot have gone on together as the Pulse evolved.
Destination Door County’s Jon Jarosh joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about what the 2021 summer might look like. With vaccine news looking better each day, how close to normal should visitors, business owners, and event planners expect things to look?
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Pulse Co-Founder David Eliot and his dog Oxford to tell the story of the Peninsula Pulse. Over the years the Pulse offices have been located all across the county, save for a few spots. In this episode Dave recounts the first five years of the paper, all of the many offices the he's worked out of, and the people who've come and gone through the doors.
When Brett Kosmider pulled out his camera on main street in Fish Creek last July, he didn’t anticipate getting a photo to define the pandemic summer. But that’s what he got when Matthew Moellendorf showed up in a suit and a mask. Mollendorf and Kosmider join the Podcast to share the story behind the photo of the year, which was recently awarded second place in the Wisconsin Newspaper Association’s Better Newspaper Contest.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. sits down with Dave Eliot for an expansive conversation about the future of room tax. They talk about why Eliot is making the case to raise room tax from 5.5% to 8%. They discuss how room tax was originally implemented (1:58), how it has helped to market the county and improve amenities (15:10), and how an increase could be used to address the needs of local communities (23:06). They also explore the arguments against the increase (39:52), how it can be used (43:38) and what might be possible (49:55).
The owners of Shipwrecked Brew Pub are proposing an expansion that would make the restaurant one of the largest in Door County. But with parking at a premium in the center of Egg Harbor, that raises a lot of issues for the plan commission. Myles Dannhausen Jr. breaks down the proposal and the issues at play. Then, Andrew Kleidon and Dannhausen take a look at the latest info on the condominiums proposed for the former Little Sister Resort site, and good news on the COVID-19 vaccine front.
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Don Niles, President of Peninsula Pride Farms, a farmer-led organization that's committed to addressing agriculture's role in improving water quality in Kewaunee and Southern Door counties.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Pulse Co-Founder David Eliot and his dog Oxford to tell the story of the Peninsula Pulse. In a time when artists, restaurants, and concert venues weren't posting every upcoming event on social media, how did a fledgling newspaper find stories to tell each issue? Where were young people hanging out in the late 90's in Door County, and are they still there today?
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen sit down to talk about how cold it's been, and what that's meant for winter recreation like skiing and broom ball. Also, a look into 2020's sales tax numbers and how they compare to 2019, and where we're at in Door County with vaccinations, delays, supply and demand, and more.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Pulse Co-Founder David Eliot and his dog Oxford for the first time on the Door County Pulse Podcast to tell the story of the Peninsula Pulse. On this episode Dave recounts his youth, how he reinvigorated both his high school and college newspapers with a shift to digital layouts, and how he, along with Tom McKenzie and a small group of young artists, came to publish the very first issue of the Peninsula Pulse newspaper in 1996.
Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Captain Dale Stroschein of Wacky Walleye Guide services to talk about the conditions that lead to 66 people being rescued by the coast guard at one location off Sherwood Point in the town of Nasewaupee; another location in the Sand Bay area in the town of Gardner; and a third location in the Little Harbor area in the town of Sevastopol, as well as tips for ice safety.
Andrew Kleidon and Debra Fitzgerald sit down to talk about what's going on in the state legislature, namely COVID relief and mask mandates, and how they will effect the county. Also, a look into the arts and entertainment pages of this week's Pulse, and the artists, musicians, and designers profiled within.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to the writers behind a special report from Wisconsin Watch about the political divisiveness that plagues the state. In the article “In Evenly Split Wisconsin, Partisan Divides May Only Grow,” Anya van Wagtendonk and Nora Eckert investigate why the state has become such a political hothouse, and how Door County exemplifies the shift.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss the next round of vaccinations in Door County, as well as a look at the work of the late Bob Hastings, former executive director of the Door County Chamber of Commerce (now Destination Door County). After the break, Debra Fitzgerald talks with Mayor Dave Ward about accomplishments made during the pandemic in 2020, and what work is still to be done in the new year.
Door County has become a public beta testing site for SpaceX’s emerging satellite internet service, Starlink. The company intends to deliver high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable, expensive or completely unavailable. Debra Fitzgerald sits down with Nathan Drager, owner of Quantum PC Services, to talk about his initial findings with the beta, and what residents might want to know about the service as it rolls out.
Andrew Kleidon talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about vaccines, what Ryan Heise leaves behind in Egg Harbor, and how one group of local students found a way to perform without a stage. Then they dive into Gibraltar’s plan to assess property owners for sidewalks and lights and why it has some people frustrated, again.
Morgan Mann of the Door County Library stops in to unveil this years selection for Door County Reads, an annual series of events, book discussions, and community gatherings centered around one title, available to pick up for free at your local library.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss the latest in COVID-19 information in Door County, including positive cases and percent positives in each municipality, how Washington Island is dealing with their first major outbreak of the virus, and more. After the break Myles talks with Dr. Jim Heise about the vaccine rollout, who has been vaccinated thus far, and when he expects the vaccine will be available to the general public.
Stories of good news this week as Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk about some local residents and businesses who have stepped up to make the holidays brighter for people in our community. Then they discuss Myles’s column in this week’s Pulse about people who have filled the leadership void as the community muddled its way through the pandemic.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen look back on the whirlwind of a year that was 2020, including the most read articles on doorcountypulse.com, the year in theater, food, and more.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen recap some COVID-19 news this week as vaccines are due to arrive at Door County Medical Center in short order. This week in the paper Tamara Jilot recounts her experience with the virus, the timeline from infection to symptoms, and her hospital stay and aftermath. Also Andrew parts the curtain with insights on how actors create unique and compelling characters for stage and screen.
Jake Nyberg’s parents have tried out the Door County life multiple times, including once when Jake was a kid. Now Nyberg is 40 with his own family in Minneapolis and feeling the pull of Door County himself. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Jake about how Door County gets its claws in you, the mental battle of wanting a piece of the peninsula to call your own without becoming “that guy” who plays a part in ruining it, and life as a cursed Minnesota sports fan.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen break down this weeks news, including two new proposals for condo developments in Sister Bay, one of which is planned for the former Fred & Fuzzy's and Little Sister Resort property. Also, a look at a piece by Polly Fitz which takes us on a tour through Cheryl and Hugh Zettel’s recently remodeled home to see how one family put accessibility first and how accessibility considerations can increase ones ability to age in place.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen go over the news from the past few weeks, including Dave Lienau stepping down as president of the Village of Sister Bay take a position as manager of the Sister Bay Marina. The board unanimously selected former president Denise Bhirdo, who has served on the board for 22 years, to complete the remainder of Lienau’s term as president. Also this week The Village of Sister Bay has reached an agreement to purchase almost 56 acres of orchard and farmland from the Wiltse family, and Gibraltar residents approved the town budget Monday after 90 minutes of questions and comments during an annual meeting held through a combination of Zoom and in-person attendance.
A Plea From the Hospital with Dr. Jim Heise and County Chair Dave Lienau by Door County Pulse Podcasts
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen sit down this week to crack open all the Egg Harbor news of late, including: The village is considering a referendum that would provide more than $100,000 annually to support operations at the Kress Pavilion, the ongoing challenge of parking in the village, and a lawsuit is looming between the village and the owners of Shipwrecked over a small portion of land on Horseshoe Bay Road.
This week on the Podcast, Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Andrew Kleidon discuss the latest in Wisconsin’s neverending election cycle and get you the latest on the local Covid-19 implications. Then they dive into a new proposal for affordable housing in Sister Bay that one village board member says “could be a turning point” in the village’s long-running quest to attract housing for its workforce.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. break down Door County’s election results, including what surprised them, what didn’t, and how the county’s voting patterns are changing. Then Dannhausen talks to Debra Fitzgerald about Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding’s big expansion plans in Sturgeon Bay, and why some neighbors don’t love it.
Election day is almost here, and Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. break down the ballot for Door County voters as we prepare to go to the polls. The presidential race gets all the attention, but Door County residents will also be electing their state representative, Congressional representative, and treasurer. Plus, voters will weigh in on two school referendums and a question on fair maps.
Andrew is joined by Terrie Cooper, the Community Conservation Director at the Door County Land Trust, to talk about the history of the non-profit, the importance of preserving natural areas and fragile ecosystems, as well as the Land Trust's most recent land acquisitions on Washington Island.
Andrew and Myles take a look at a few stories this week, including the removal of two Institute barns, as well as the Sevastopol girls cross country teams run at the state championship. Also a drive-through benefit will be held for Dan Krowas who is currently battling MDS. After the break Myles chats with Louise Howson of the Sister Bay Advancement Association about creating a Halloween light display that can be enjoyed safely this weekend.
Andrew and Myles break down several smaller stories this week, including Ephraim's long-term plan to shore up their waterfront and protect the streets as well as the Hardy Gallery from the high water levels. Also, some COVID-19 related updates, a look at a special cover on this weeks Pulse, and more.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-Green Bay), who is seeking his third term as representative of the 8th Congressional District. Gallagher is running against Wisconsin Assembly Representative Amanda Stuck, who was on the podcast last week. Dannhausen talks to Gallagher about his background, how his military service impacts his role in Congress, and a host of issues on voters’ minds as election day nears including health care, Covid-19, the economy, and the tone of politics in the Trump era.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Amanda Stuck, Democratic candidate for the 8th Congressional District. The three-term Wisconsin Assembly representative from Appleton talks about her background, how her days as a single mom impact how she approaches policy, and her priorities if she is the choice of voters in northeastern Wisconsin. She is seeking the seat held by Republican Mike Gallagher, who is scheduled to be a guest on the podcast next week.
Andrew is joined by Jerod Santek and Lauren Ward to talk about Write-On Door County's past programming, how they've adapted their offerings in response to the pandemic, and their virtual grand opening of their brand new writing center on October 9th.
What has it been like to operate a restaurant through a busy summer in Door County? Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Todd Frisoni of the Door County Ice Cream Factory and Meredith Coulson-Kanter of the White Gull Inn about their experiences changing practices, finding staff, and struggling to keep the doors open through the pandemic. They also take a look forward about what they think the winter and 2021 might be like.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks stories, including Door County Public Health announced they are no longer able to contact trace people who have been in close contact with people who test positive for COVID-19, instead pivoting to working closely with businesses and schools dealing with positive cases. Also, Camp Zion in Ellison Bay faces difficulty as they look to build a 12,000 square foot dining hall and conference space to replace the cramped, aging dining hall it built in 1984, and Dollar General looks to build a new store in the town of Egg Harbor.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. is joined by Dr. Jim Heise, Chief Medical Officer of Door County Medical Center, to discuss the state of the Covid-19 virus in Door County. They discuss what we've learned about the COVID-19 pandemic, where we are today, and why the status of hospital in the Fox Valley and Green Bay matters for Door County.
Andrew and Myles break down a few stories including June's room tax numbers coming in near last year's numbers, the upcoming grand opening of Write-On's new writing center, and the next phase of the Pulse's election coverage. After the break a discussion on where we find ourselves six months into this pandemic, what we've learned, and how we might move forward as cases continue to climb in Door County.
Andrew is joined by Pulse Creative Director Ryan Miller to talk about how he helps tell the stories of Door County every week through his layout design in the paper, as well as some of the original art he creates for special issues and the Door County Living magazine.
This week on the podcast Andrew and Myles discuss preliminary partnership talks between the Ridges Sanctuary and the Door County Land Trust, and an affordable housing project begins to take shape in Liberty Grove. After the break, COVID-19 numbers continue to increase in September, with Door County reaching it's highest active case count this week.
Andrew and Myles go over the latest COVID-19 numbers in which the county sees the highest number of active cases yet. Also, a look inside some of the stories and profiles featured in the latest issue of the Door County Living magazine, as well as some insights on the stunning photography and graphic design that really makes each issue so special.
Andrew and Myles are back for a second week of sign discussion spurred on by an act of vandalism which took place at the GOP headquarters in Sturgeon Bay over the weekend. Also this week the Door County Land Trust and the Ridges Sanctuary have begun potential partnership talks which may merge the organizations into one entity, and Destination Door County announced their partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, becoming the first tourism destination in Wisconsin to do so.
Deb Fitzgerald sits down with Kurt Kiefer, Assistant State Superintendent at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and member of Governor Ever's Task Force on Broadband Access, to discuss the hopes of the task force, and some potential solutions to spotty internet access throughout the state by looking at similar places throughout the country who have solved their internet woes.
Andrew and Myles sit down to talk about billboards in Door County, which most folks figured were banned back in 1985, until Link Media submitted applications for 15 new sign permits to expand existing billboards and to erect two new freestanding billboards in May of 2019. Turns out a 2015 United States Supreme Court ruling in a case known as Reed v. Town of Gilbert opened the door for Link Media to pursue new billboards in the county.
Andrew sits down with Michael Stebbins, Artistic Director of Door Shakespeare, to talk about some of the challenges they faced this season, all culminating in the premiere of their virtual production of Rosalind by J.M. Barrie, in which actors were filmed performing remotely from their homes, which was then edited into a full play. Rosalind premieres online September 2nd.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks news, including Bellin Health and Door County Medical Center hosting a no-cost, drive-up COVID-19 testing event Aug. 27, 10 am – 6 pm, at the Door County Fairgrounds in Sturgeon Bay. Also The Village of Egg Harbor’s Plan Commission approved the proposal for the Village View Residences condominium and retail project on Aug. 18th.
If you've completed a crossword puzzle in the last 15 years there is a good chance it was one of Myles Mellor's. Myles has been writing the Pulse crossword for years, and this week Myles Dannhausen sits down with him to talk about how he got his start writing puzzles, and how he turned the crossword into his career.
Andrew and Deb sit down to go over each of the Door County schools currently fluid plans to reopen next month. What considerations are being made inside the classroom and beyond? Also, the DNR doubles down on their intent to demolish Potawatomi tower.
Andrew sits down with Carly Sarkis, Marketing and Events Director at Destination Sturgeon Bay to talk about many of the events that have been canceled this summer, but also some events that were modified to be safer, as well as new events that were created in response to COVID-19. Also we dig into some of the challenges and considerations Carly faced as a destination marketer during a pandemic.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss the latest COVID information after the Wisconsin Mask Mandate became effective over the weekend, including Door County's positive case total entering triple digits. Also this week an update on the Egg Harbor Condo proposal, as well as some discussion on July's record breaking water levels.
Andrew sits down with Pulse Intern Maddy Schierl to reflect on her 2nd summer writing interesting pieces for the Pulse, and how she was able to explore unique topics from a fresh perspective. Also, as Maddy begins to pack for her senior year at college, we discuss the considerations she had to make when deciding whether to go back as schools across the country are asking tough questions about how to re-open.
Andrew and Myles break down some stories from this week including the Pulse's decision not to post news articles to Facebook in order to foster higher quality conversations, and how some businesses have responded to positive COVID-19 cases among their staff. Also, the Sister Bay Plan Commission denied a request for a change of use for the property that contains the waterfront portions of Little Sister Resort and Fred and Fuzzy’s Waterfront Bar and Grill.
Andrew sits down with Door County's first certified cicerone Sophie Nelson to talk about interesting beer facts, what a cicerone is and what the lengthy certification process entailed, and how she's been able to put her knowledge to practice in the county and within the pages of the Peninsula Pulse in her column: Suds with Sophie.
Andrew and Myles have some updates on a few stories, including new life for the Barker childcare center in Sturgeon Bay, which will soon become the Door Community Child Development Center as soon as September. Also Sister Bay has approved an ordinance which will fine anyone caught removing stones from Pebble Beach, and Andrew and Myles talk about how Husby's closure last week due to COVID-19 sent ripples through the community, and what the current climate is regarding the virus locally.
Andrew is joined by Pulse writer Maddy Schierl to talk about the myriad of different topics she's been able to write about this summer, from her weekly beach showcase, to her adventures on the water, as well as her art and literary endeavors including a piece on yoga and art journaling, as well as her installment of our ongoing literary series, and much more.
Andrew is joined by Deb to break down some of the stories she's been working on over the last week, including an update on the Potawatomi Tower's reinforcement effort, TAP in Sturgeon Bay announces their capital campaign, and more. Also the plan to pursue purchasing police PPE is back on the table after a $10,000 donation, and we hear stories from businesses who are requiring their customers to wear masks, and the struggles they've had enforcing mask use.
After Friday's Door County Board of Supervisors meeting where the board members voted by consensus not to pursue a countywide masking ordinance, Myles Dannhausen Jr. dug in to confirm an official tally. He found that not only was Friday's meeting confusing, but the consensus tally wasn't actually a consensus. Andrew Kleidon and Dannhausen recap that confusion, and discuss what may come next from the board as COVID numbers continue to rise across the county.
Andrew and Myles break down last Friday's Door County Board of Supervisors meeting where the board voted not to instruct its staff to draft a county-wide masking ordinance for consideration by the board. Myles runs down how the meeting progressed, and what may likely come next. After the break Myles chats with Laurel Hauser, the new interim executive director of Crossroads at Big Creek, about some of the changes that have happened at the preserve lately, including the introduction of new trail maps.
Andrew and Myles chat about the weeks events, including the upcoming Door County Board of Supervisors special meeting this Friday morning to discuss issuing a county-wide masking order for people when indoors or when social distancing is not practicable. Also this week the Door County Sheriff's Department is investigating a threatening video posted to Twitter over the weekend in which an anonymous man ridicules and "shoots" at BLM protesters in Sister Bay with a finger-gun gesture. After the break Myles sits down with Jessica Alfaro who shares her experience with COVID-19 lockdowns in Spain, her thoughts on visiting the US during the pandemic, and comparisons on mask usage in Door County versus abroad.
Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Charlie Ransford of Cure Violence, which targets violence prevention using the same methods as disease control, aiming to prevent incidents from occurring before they happen. As people have been calling to defund the police, organizations like Cure Violence are alternatives that can step in to solve problems before police action is necessary, which reduces costs and saves lives. Charlie explains how the organization works, the impact it has had on communities suffering from violence, and more.
Andrew and Myles jump into the pre-4th of July news, including the christening of the Washington Island Ferry Line's new vessel the Madonna, the DNR closes Rock Island State Park for the rest of the season, and the condo proposal for the center of Egg Harbor comes back with some new revisions.
Andrew and Myles break down two big stories this week, the owners of Fred & Fuzzy's and adjacent Little Sister Resort have accepted an offer on the restaurant and waterfront parcels of the Little Sister Resort contingent on the buyers getting approval to rezone the parcels from commercial to residential zoning. Also, Egg Harbor has made on offer on a portion of the Alpine Resorts shoreline in hopes to expand the Egg Harbor beach.
This weekend would have been the 4th annual Open Door Pride Festival in Door County, so Andrew and Maddy sat down with Cathy Grier, founder of the festival, to talk about Pride in Door County, starting the festival off small in 2017, and seeing how it's grown and been received in the past years. In lieu of a formal festival this year due to COVID-19, Cathy talks about some ways in which Open Door celebrated Pride this month and how you can get involved as well.
Andrew and Myles sit down this week to discuss some news and pieces featured in this weeks Pulse, including an update on how Door County has kept its COVID numbers low, and a piece remembering Oscar Boldt and his impact on this community. Also the Barker Center's uncertain future in Sturgeon Bay leaves families wondering what their child care options are in Door County.
Finance Committee Denies $10,000 Helmet and Shield Purchase by Door County Pulse Podcasts
Myles sits down with Mike Holmes to talk about the challenges his three businesses, Wickman House, Trixie's, and Taco Cerveza, have faced as they re-opened in new ways following COVID-19. Wickman House made the decision to revamp their menu into a summer of BBQ, which is a departure from what they are known for, but something Mike and his team have been really excited about.
Andrew and Aleah chat about a few of the new businesses that have opened in the last year, as well as an in-depth look at how restaurants have started or expanded their outdoor dining options in response to COVID-19.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks news, including some new rules for State Park campgrounds opening back up next week, a look at some bills pasted last year targeting ticks and some tips on dealing with those little gross bugs this summer. Also, a look into what area schools have learned about the need for broadband access for their students following school closures in March.
Andrew and Myles sit down to talk about a community testing site for COVID-19 in Sturgeon Bay June 3rd and 4th, as well as a discussion on the killing of George Floyd last week in Minneapolis, and the protests that have gripped all 50 states following his death, including demonstrations being led in Door County this week in support of Black Lives Matter.
Andrew has some short updates from last week, including Bearded Heart's new location, Czarnuszka Soup Bar closed at the end of February, and more. After the break Debra Fitzgerald has a conversation with Nicolet National Bank Chairman and CEO Bob Atwell about the tough decision to close seven branches, including Door County branches in Brussels, Fish Creek, and Ellison Bay.
Andrew Kleidon and Debra Fitzgerald sit down to talk about some of the stories from over Memorial Day weekend, including a brief update on the condo fire in Sister Bay. Also, Door County extends emergency order, a look at amending the Broadband tower ordinance, and a temporary National Guard COVID-19 testing site tentatively planned for next week.
Today on the podcast Andrew chats with Britt Unkefer of Wild Restaurant Concepts to talk about how his businesses adapted to COVID-19 both during the Safer at Home order and into their Memorial Day weekend reopening.
Andrew and Myles go over the latest, including an update on the Fish Creek highway construction, a recap of some of the guidelines Door County businesses can use to open safely this season, as well the numbers from a recent survey Destination Door County sent out asking how peoples plans have changed this summer, if people are planning to visit the County, and what their expectations on wearing masks are.
After the break, Myles chats with Nicolet Bank CEO Bob Atwell about some grants they had available to small businesses effected by COVID-19
Andrew and Myles talk about Rep. Joel Kitchens proposal for new election guidelines in response to the April 11 election last month, as well as word from Lt. Gov. Mandella Barnes on the "We're All In" grant program for small businesses. After the break we talk about what Door County will look like this weekend after Safer at Home has been lifted locally.
Myles sits down with Dan Egan, Great Lakes reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and author of The Death and Life of the Great Lakes, to talk all about the history of the Great Lakes water quality, invasive species, and the high water levels we've been seeing over the last few years.
Andrew and Myles go over the latest, including Door County extending the Safer At Home Order locally until May 20th, 4th of July events being canceled, and more. After the break Myles chats with Bret Bicoy about how we must hold together as one county, and some new emergency funds available to the community.
Andrew and Myles go over yesterdays decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to end the Safer at Home Order.
Andrew and Myles have the latest today including retail stores and drive-in cinemas being allowed to open, Culvers in Sturgeon Bay closing due to a case of the virus, and speculation on the Safer at Home lawsuit making its way through the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Also, new Pulse Editor Debra Fitzgerald talks with Myles about coming back to Door County during the pandemic, and how it feels to report on COVID-19.
Andrew and Myles chat about the new business guidelines released by the state, including the use of masks and social distancing, as well as how some businesses may choose to require customers to wear masks this season. Also, and update in the high water levels on Lake Michigan again this summer, and more. After the break Myles chats with Jackson Parr about the J1 visa program that brings around 500 seasonal workers to Door County every year, and how COVID 19 impacts that program and the people and businesses that participate in it.
Dave Lienau, Door County Board chair and Sister Bay village president, revealed Tuesday that he found out yesterday he had the COVID-19 virus in late March. Today, Myles chats with Lienau about his experience, his symptoms, and his views on just how important social distancing is during this pandemic. Also, some discussion on last nights Sister Bay board meeting regarding whether or not to mandate masks, close parks, or limit open beverage consumption.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk about the influx of visitors the county saw this weekend. Then Kaaren Northrop of Main Street Market talks about their decision to switch to curbside pickup only and how they transformed their operations overnight in response to COVID-19.
Today on the podcast: The Peninsula Music Festival cancels their season, more businesses are able to open with restrictions, and May 1st brings new operating hours for state parks in Wisconsin. Also, Myles chats with Dr. Jim Heise and Door County Medical Center CEO Brian Stephens about how the hospital has been adapting their care over the last two months, new guidelines and best practices for businesses, and what the future might look like as creative solutions to unique problems arise during the pandemic.
Myles is joined by Pulse writer and Man at the Capital Jackson Parr to talk about how COVID-19 effects municipal budgets, including lower room and sales tax numbers, delayed property tax payments, and more.
Andrew and Myles go over the latest COVID-19 news in Door County, including two new cases bringing the county's total to 12 positive cases and 2 deaths. Also, Myles talks with Dan Powers about the 2020 census, why Door County is lagging behind, and why the census is so important.
Andrew and Myles have some quick updates from the weekend, including Hatch Distillery giving away free hand sanitizer, and Birch Creek canceling their summer season. Also, Myles and Dave co-wrote an article last week to begin the discussion on how Door County moves forward in the coming weeks as we begin to look at reopening businesses, what that will look like, and what guidelines we still need.
Andrew and Myles have the latest COVID-19 numbers in Wisconsin, as well as a peak at this years Sustainability issue celebrating 50 years of Earth Day. Also, Myles chats with wedding planner and event organizer Carrie Baldwin about how her business is changing this season, and how she's been tackling home schooling her young children.
Today Myles has a conversation with JR Schoenfeld of Chives and Barringer's about his timeline for potentially reopening, creative solutions to COVID-19 related challenges, and how he's looking to keep his customers and staff safe this season.
Andrew and Myles go over Gov. Evers Badger Bounce Back guidelines for reopening businesses released yesterday. Also, Myles chats with Joel Kitchens about those guidelines, and what an eventual reopening of businesses might look like down the line.
Myles connects with fellow sports geek Keith Puro to talk Michael Jordan, the '90s Bulls, and why MJ is the greatest player ever on the eve of episode 1 of The Last Dance, a documentary about the 97' - 98' Chicago Bulls. It's a special, completely self-indulgent fanboy episode of the Door County Pulse Podcast.
Andrew and Myles break down todays news, including Gov. Evers extending the Safer at Home order to May 26th, and Peninsula Players canceling their summer season. Also, Myles chats with Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Sara Meaney about how her department is adapting to a world without travel.
Andrew and Myles discuss the County ordering the closure of all campgrounds effective April 15th, and Myles chats with Sturgeon Bay Schools superintendent Dan Tjernagel about what the just-passed referendum means for the district and the future of education in the COVID era, including graduation ceremonies for seniors.
Andrew and Myles breakdown the latest today, including the April 7th election results, Gibraltar closing its doors for the remainder of the school year, but continues remote learning, and Kewaunee County reports its first COVID-19 related death. Also, the developers behind the proposed Quarry RV Park have appealed the decision from February.
Andrew and Myles go over todays news, including Door County reporting its first COVID-19 related death, the Alpine will not open this season for the first time in over 90 years, and election results will be available later today.
After the break Myles chats with Donna Scattergood about the Door County Emergency Support Coalition's phone lines and health services, as well as what this summer might look like from a health standpoint.
Andrew and Myles chat with Matt Pothast on his recent article looking at how high school students are moving forward after having the majority of school performances canceled this year, and what a few seniors who have been looking forward to their final high school productions have taken away from this. Also Sturgeon Bay business owners Todd Trimberger and Dr. Kelton Reitz have purchased the former Younkers building and will move their existing Jefferson Street business, Bliss, into the building this fall.
Myles chats with Jeff Herbst, Artistic Director of Northern Sky Theater about their difficult decision to cancel their outdoor season, what that means for them as a company, but also what it means for the actors and crew they employ each year. Also, Myles speaks with Cain Goettelman of FLS Banners about how their company shifted gears to manufacture PPE for the hospital, as well as custom masks for the community.
Myles shares his polling experience as thousands of Wisconsinites head out to vote today after the Supreme Court's ruling last night. Also, some insights from Door County Medical Centers Facebook Live segment last night. After the break Myles chats with Dr. Phil Arnold on his experience working in a clinic in Seattle, and how Washington has made strides to flatten the curve.
Andrew and Myles discuss the status of the April 7th election following Gov. Evers issuing an order to postpone and that orders appeal to the supreme court. Also Myles shares how the Door County Medical Center has prepared for this crisis as well as breaking down some medical terms and concepts that have been in the news over the last few weeks.
Andrew and Myles dive into this weeks Pulse and the articles you can find COVID related and otherwise. Also, a look into an article published in conjunction with the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism about the difficult decision to encourage people to refrain from visiting Door County during this crisis, and a look at how the community has been responding.
Andrew and Myles breakdown todays news, including the County confirming its 2nd case of COVID-19, The University of Pittsburg has a vaccine that has tested well on mice, the DNC is postponed a month, and there are new deadlines for absentee voting. Also, the RePulse can be found in this weeks Pulse, a collection of April fools articles we hope will brighten your weekend.
Door County has its first positive COVID-19 case, The Washington Island Ferry reduced to essential travel only, and Myles chats with Rep. Mike Gallagher about Wisconsin's efforts to flatten the curve, the federal governments response, and his views on congressional reform.
Kate Roth of the Baileys Harbor Community Association has info on their upcoming coloring contest, as well as how the town has been handling upcoming events. Also, how artists are making art during this crisis.
Andrew and Myles have the latest COVID-19 numbers, and many Wisconsinites will file for Unemployment for the first time today.
Andrew and Myles have todays COVID-19 numbers, and after the break Myles chats with Door County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Steve Jenkins on what resources people and businesses have right now, and what we could be seeing in the CARES act signed into law earlier today.
Andrew and Myles breakdown todays news including a conference call with Rep. MikeGallagher, and Myles has a conversation with Joe Krebsbach from Health and Human Services about mental health and people in addiction recovery during this crisis. Tomorrow we will have more information on the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES)Act that was passed by the senate today, and are looking forward to a chat with DCEDC's Steve Jenkins on how the business community is working though the pandemic.
Andrew and Myles discuss the latest COVID coverage, including Hatch Distillery manufacturing hand sanitizer for Scandia Village and the hospital, and what is an essential business as outlined in Gov. Evers "Safer at Home" order. After the break Myles chats with County Chair Dave Lienau about his decision making process last week in moving to get ahead of this crisis, and what we can learn from similar challenges we've faced as a destination in the past.
Andrew and Myles break down the COVID news today, including Gov. Evers issuing a "Safer at Home" order, effectively closing all non-essential businesses effective this week. We will have more information on what is considered essential tomorrow. Also, the state and federal tax deadlines have been extended to July.
Andrew and Myles are back with a glimpse into what businesses in the county are doing to support themselves and their community, and word from how things are progressing on Washington Island. After the break, Rian Hill talks about his experience volunteering with the Door County Emergency Support Coalition, and what he's been seeing out and about as a member of the grocery store and restaurant supply chain.
Andrew and Myles run down todays updates, including assistance and volunteer information and phone numbers are live on www.doorcountypulse.com, Sturgeon Bay declaring a state of emergency last night, and more. Then, Myles reaches out to James Heise, Chief Medical Officer at Door County Medical about what the hospital is doing to prepare moving forward, including their suspension of non-essential visits.
Andrew and Myles go over what has changed in the last 24 hours, including a Gibraltar declaring a state of emergency, Main Street Market moving to order pickup only, and how to vote absentee in the upcoming elections.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk to Sister Bay/Liberty Grove Fire Chief Chris Hecht about a fast-forming coalition to help local residents and visitors get help and necessities as the county inches closer to lockdown. All of the information discussed on this episode can be found at www.doorcountypulse.com
The Door County Pulse Podcast is moving to a more frequent release schedule as COVID-19 continues to effect Door County. In this episode Andrew and Myles recap everything that has happened in relation to the virus since last Friday, including school closures, bars and restaurants moving to takeout only, and the county declaring a state of emergency this week. Stay tuned, we hope to release updates to your feed daily as things continue to develop.
Andrew and Myles reflect on the change in tone of COVID-19 coverage from last week. As the story develops, and more information comes to us from different health organizations, we will do our best to keep people in Door County informed on closures, cancelations, and more. Links to information, as well as an ongoing list of Door County cancelations and closures can be found on www.doorcountypulse.com, and on our social media.
After the break, the town sends the proposed condo development in the center of Egg Harbor back to the drawing board, and highway construction continues in Fish Creek. Information on what is accessible and how to reach businesses in this episode and on our website.
Andrew talks with Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Grace Johnson about the 2020 Door County Living Magazine Philanthropy Issue, which was all about the incredible women tackling Door County's greatest problems. After a break, Myles is joined by one of the Pulse's sales representatives Jess Farley, who recently spoke at Door County's Tales of Our Lives.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks news, including Hwy 42 closing in Fish Creek starting March 9th for resurfacing, including the addition of new pedestrian improvements near the school, and Villaggios is moving into Egg Harbor where Trio once was.
After the break The American Transmission Company owns a 69-kilovolt transmission line that runs through the center of the county. Since 1963, vegetation control consider of tree pruning to keep vegetation below 15 feet, but now ATC aims to clear cut the area surrounding the line and permanently control the area with herbicide. This line runs through several people's properties.
This week, Andrew is joined by Randy Isely, the owner of Ephraim Coffee Lab and Isely Coffee Roasters to talk about the overlooked art of making a great cup of coffee.
This week the Door County Resource Planning Committee (RPC) voted unanimously to deny a conditional use permit (CUP) on Wednesday, Feb. 26, for the proposed RV and home development at the old stone quarry site in the Town of Sevastopol. After the break Myles shares some information from Public Health Manager Sue Powers about Door County's risk level for Coronavirus, and the steps you can take to protect yourself this flu season.
Grace and Steve stop in to talk about the Hal Prize, the Pulse's annual literary contest, which was named after Steve's father. This year the Hal Prize will live within the pages of the 8142 Review, the Pulse's new literary magazine. Grace has been hard at work getting the first issue ready, and we can't wait to share it with you.
The latest on the Quarry RV and condo development, then Ryan Heise joins Andrew and Myles to talk about Egg Harbor developments, urban planning, designing for pedestrians and yes - parking.
Brian Kelsey, Managing Director of Peninsula Players Theater, breaks down the lineup of shows for Peninsula Players upcoming 2020 season.
Behind the DNR's decision to take down Potawatomi Tower, a conversation with Gov. Tony Evers on school spending, and a look at school security with Gibraltar senior and Pulse intern Solomon Lindenberg.
Andrew Kleidon and Celeste Benzschawel sit down with Ross Dippel and Cherryl Fonfara of Death's Door Knockers, an improvisational comedy group based in Sturgeon Bay, to talk about some new projects they've been working on.
Andrew and Myles breakdown the news this week, including Pond Hockey moving to Sister Bay, Plans for Sturgeon Bay's West Waterfront, and Legislation that would improve how schools work with students with dyslexia.
After the break, we remember James "Digger" DeGroot, Door County icon, the Mayor of Fish Creek whose restaurant, Digger's Grill, defined Door County summers for thousands of visitors, who past early this week. The world just got a lot less funny. We hope you enjoy the stories we can share, but also a few we were privileged to capture from the man himself over the years in this episode.
The Door County Visitor Bureau released a new logo, and with it a new name for the organization as part of a branding update to be announced at its annual meeting in November.
The organization has changed its name to Destination Door County, a name that identifies the greater community of Door County as a place people want to live, work, visit and invest – a place that is a destination for visitors and residents alike.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks news, including Pond Hockey moving to Sister Bay this year due to poor ice conditions, Dick Skare stepping down as Gibraltar chairman, more black power lines raised in Door County, and Nelson Hardware expanding in Fish Creek. After the break, a condo proposal in Egg Harbor to replace the BP gas station and surrounding shops.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk to Pam Seiler and Carly Sarkis about the recently renamed and rebranded Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center's plans to change the personality of Sturgeon Bay.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen breakdown this weeks news, including: Developers of the Quarry RV Park in Sevastopol are pinning their hopes for the project on the Door County Resource Planning Committee (RPC) coming to a different decision than the Town of Sevastopol did, Sturgeon Bay School Announcing a $16.84 Million Facilities Referendum, and Door County Reads 2020 kicks off events this weekend. After the break, a couple of bills to watch for.
Andrew sits down with Robby Van Egeren and Gretchen Geurts of Ohana Hospitality to talk about how they started a private chef service in Door County, and their commitment to creating delicious cuisine and having unmatched service.
Pond Hockey is fast approaching, and is looking for volunteers. After the break, Sevastopol residents and plan commissioners finally got a look at the Quarry RV Park proposal Tuesday, and after six hours of presentations, questioning and testimony from residents, the Sevastopol Plan Commission unanimously recommended that the application be denied.
Grace Johnson is joined by Katie Helscher, Abby Duebler, and Devin Thomas to talk about their experience remounting Gibraltar High School's 2007 production of High School Musical for the new Disney+ reality show Encore. In part one of this series, Katie and Abby recounted their magical week filming and rehearsing for the show. In part two we go behind the scenes and react to the episode, which aired January 10th, 2020, on Disney+. Find out what didn't make the cut on this episode of the Door County Pulse Podcast.
Candidates for the April elections are announced, and Egg Harbor is embarking on a series of major updates in the coming years, which includes walkability improvements. After the break, Celeste learns how to talk like a local as we break down Door County lingo.
Andrew is joined by Peninsula Pulse reporter, social media editor, and local musician Celeste Benzschawel to talk about her past endeavors in music, as well as what she's been doing to exhibit her talents now. Stay tuned until the end for a performance by Celeste.
Andrew sits down with Myles and Jackson to talk about some really unique stories this week, including Al Johnson's defending their goats on a grass roof trademark at the federal level, and an update on the Forestville Millpond, including a potentially nefarious attempt to sabotage the project. After the break, Myles sets out to discover if bears and wolves actually live in Door County, how many there might be and how they might get here.
In the first episode of the new decade, Andrew and Solomon chat with Adam Pokorski, owner of Rusty Dusty Vintage & Records in Ephraim, to discuss what's so great about old junk, the eccentricity of his recently relocated shop, and what record enthusiasts like himself think about the resurgence of vinyl.
Happy New Years everyone, Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. talk new and old New Years traditions and events around the county, and talk about the DNR relaxing rules in regards to protecting shoreline property against the high waters. After the break, room tax numbers are in for the year. Is Door County still growing? What do the numbers tell us in regards to how slow a season is?
Grace Johnson is joined by Katie Helscher and Abby Duebler to talk about their experience remounting Gibraltar High School's 2007 production of High School Musical for the new Disney+ reality show Encore. In part one of this series, Katie and Abby recount their magical week filming and rehearsing for the show. In part two we go behind the scenes and react to the episode, which airs January 10th, 2020, on Disney+
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss the controversial Quarry RV Park proposed for Sturgeon Bay. Plus, a recap of the year's biggest stories and why they mattered.
Andrew chats with Carrie Baldwin, a veteran Door County events planner, who is running the Door County Half Marathon to raise money for the Sue Baldwin Fund, which was founded to help men and women in Door County with their battles with breast cancer.
Andrew and Myles discuss Ephraim's work on protecting the shoreline from high water, a crash that killed a man in Institute, and about the potential for having a treatment court in Door County. After the break, they are joined by Kelsey Fox, the workforce development specialist at the Door County Economic Development Corporation, to talk about their new initiative to attract more workers to Door County.
Andrew Kleidon and Solomon Lindenberg are joined by Gibraltar Instrumental Music Director and musician Charlie Eckhardt to talk about his background in music, what it's like teaching music at a small school, and the production of his rock band Bacchus Lotus' new album entitled "Bacchus Lotus IV."
Myles Dannhausen Jr. is joined by Matt Stone, real estate agent and host of the local Unlock the Door podcast, to discuss the impact of rising water levels on shorefront real estate, and give a blow-by-blow of the Dollar General meeting in Sister Bay.
Andrew is joined by local paramedic and firefighter Adrian Murre, who talks about his life as and journey to becoming someone who saves lives for a living, and the importance of emergency services in Door County.
To celebrate the winter issue of Door County Living magazine, Andrew and Myles dive deep into two obscure Door County legends. After the break, Sister Bay is presented plans for a Dollar General. The community speaks out about this new development, but there are some common misconceptions regarding chains in Door County, and what the town can actually do when presented with developments like this. Myles and Sam Kersebet, two Sister Bay locals, try to get to the bottom of the discourse.
Morgan Mann of the Door County Library stops in to unveil this years selection for Door County Reads, an annual series of events, book discussions, and community gatherings centered around one title, available to pick up for free at your local library.
Andrew and Myles break down this week's news, including Sturgeon Bay's overhauled signage, which should help bring visitors off the highway and into town. Coming off the success of public transit programs like the shuttle in Sister Bay, Myles posits that the first step to solving our biggest problems is just trying. After the break Celeste Benzschawel discusses how Egg Harbor became Door County’s first Green Tier Legacy Community, and Sevastopol has released renderings of their major updates starting in 2020.
Andrew and Grace are joined by John Maggitti, who opened Novel Bay Booksellers with his wife Liz in 2018, to talk about their approach to creating a truly curated selection, the importance of supporting independent bookstores and local businesses, and the creative way John approached creating his young adult selection.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen Jr. are gearing up for the holidays with the fresh snowfall, and food drives starting up all over the county, including the Library forgiving overdue fees for food donations, and the Sturgeon Bay United Methodist church taking RSVPs for their annual thanksgiving dinner. Matt Pothast calls in to give a play by play of the Sturgeon Bay Soccer championship win, and after the break Myles talks with Matt Rothschild after his Fair Maps presentation at the Kress about solutions for gerrymandering.
Andrew and Myles sit down with Lauren Bremer, managing director at Write On, Door County, to talk about how the organization promotes writing through educational experiences with published authors, what they're excited to accomplish with their brand new facility, and the future for writers in Door County.
This week: The winter edition of the Door County Living Magazine goes to print, The Sturgeon Bay Clippers soccer team advances to state, and we remember the life of Russell “Skip” Kaeske. After the break, A new option for affordable housing is taking shape in Sturgeon Bay thanks to the Door County Housing Partnership.
Andrew is joined by Solomon Lindenberg and Mara Packard, two student members of the Viking Voice, the Gibraltar school paper, to talk about the importance of writing stories about and for students, as well as making larger issues and global politics accessible for students.
A lot of updates to ongoing stories this week, including the Maritime Museum sets a groundbreaking date for their tower, the County Board sets new sign rules, health insurance enrollment opens Nov. 1st, The Door County Half Marathon, and the One Barrel 2.62 Mile Fun Run signups are open now. After the break, Room Tax returns are up 4%; and Gibraltar proposes online e-learning program to mitigate snow days.
Andrew is joined by Anna Mae Beyer to talk about the DoCo Community Chorale, a new group designed for singers of all skill levels who are looking to meet other artistically inclined folks, create a sense of community, and make music together.
Andrew and Myles have small updates to big stories, including the Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission's approval of the West-Side affordable housing proposal, and the Door County Maritime Museum getting $1M closer to their long-planned maritime tower. After the break, Celeste shares her research on the changing face of technical college, and how as tuition rises more students are looking closer to home for post-secondary education.
Myles Dannhausen talks with Tiffany Huston and Brian Stevens from the Door County Medical Center about the uninsured rate in Door County, how the Affordable Care Act has impacted that rate, and how the DCMC is effected by the ACA, with open enrollment upcoming.
Andrew Kleidon talks to Myles Dannhausen Jr. about funding coming through for Eagle Tower, the future of 5G in Door County, and then they discuss a big meeting in Gibraltar where voters shot down a plan to expand Fish Creek park and build attainable housing.
Myles Dannhausen sits down with Louise Howsen and Brynn Swanson to talk about everything you need to know for Fall Fest this weekend, including about the shuttle busses running all weekend long, and beyond.
This week: highway construction begins, introducing the Pulse Education Page which highlights stories from local schools, and how Sturgeon Bay became the Clippers. After the break, Fish Creek will vote next week on purchasing the Redmann property for 2.15 million dollars.
Andrew sits down with Chris Roedl, Proprietor of Hatch Distilling Co. in Egg Harbor, to talk about how spirits are made, how beekeeping plays a major role in their distilling process, and what the future holds for Hatch. (Hint: it's whiskey!)
Andrew and Myles break down the news this week including the tragic death of Don Sarter, the owner of Sarter Marine Towing in Sturgeon Bay, progress on a proposal to turn the west side school in Sturgeon Bay into affordable apartments, and road work beginning in Ephraim and Ellison Bay. After the break, Celeste investigates attendance issues at Gibraltar High School, and what the faculty has done to treat chronic truancy.
Andrew and Myles discuss everything you need to know about the upcoming fall festivals, including your chance to tour many of the Door County Lighthouses closed to the public most of the year. After the break Myles sits down with Alyssa Rasmussen from the Egg Harbor Business Association to talk all things Pumpkin Patch.
Andrew and Myles are gearing up for Autumn Fest and the Hey Hey 5k in Baileys Harbor, and Andrew discovers what an Oktoberfest beer really is. Also the Alzheimer's Walk, and the projected timeframe for peak fall colors. After the break, Frontier Internet facing financial challenges, and Door County's Internet draught.
Andrew is joined by Peninsula Filmworks Intern Alex Witek to talk growing up in Door County, studying film in Rome, Italy, and how his perspective of the county has changed over his internship.
Andrew and Myles are joined by Karl Bradley and Tonda Gagliardo to talk about the how the Mission Grill began to transform the Door County food scene, and how Thyme Catering keeps up with a wedding industry that has boomed on the peninsula in recent years.
Andrew is joined by Monique McClean and Lars Topelmann, owners of Pearl Wine Cottage in Ephraim, to talk wine, 2nd careers, and renovating a 100 year old cottage.
This week a linesman injured by electric shock on highway 57, preparations underway for the Peninsula Century: Fall Challenge, plus tips for biking safely on the road. Also renderings for the Granary revealed, and the plans for the Gills Rock shoreline are taking shape.
Andrew and Celeste are joined by Ben Harold, a folk/rock/soul musician who spent his youth on Washington Island, to talk about writing music, finding your sound, the Door County music scene, and his upcoming concerts in Door County.
The Autumn 2019 issue of Door County Living is out now, Northern Sky opens new Theater, and the Door County Board of Supervisors votes to change campground rules, essentially pulling the plug on an award-winning plan for seasonal-workforce housing.
This episode is packed with a ton of Sister Bay news from the last week, including a proposal for the Casperson Property, the approval of an 18-unit condo on the Schoolhouse property, and updates to the proposed Door Hotel.
Affordable Housing has been a key issue in Door County for years, and this year the conversation has been gaining momentum in a lot of ways. This week on the Podcast we bring you a discussion from the archives on how three young families approached finding homes in the county.
Myles is joined by Matt Pothast, Door County high school Sports writer for the Pulse, and Dave Erhardt, the Door county Advocate sports editor back when Jim Flannigan and the Southern Door Eagles made their state run, to talk about what it was like to write about those games then for the Advocate, and now for Door County Living Magazine.
Celeste sits down with Ryann Liebl to talk about filmmaking and her new movie Mags and Julie Go On A Road Trip, which features scenes filmed in Door County.
Andrew and Celeste are joined by Becky Shaheen and Laura Lou, the Twins of Franklin, to talk music, our shared college experiences, and their upcoming Door County debut concert.
Andrew and Myles break down a short list of this weeks news, including updates on Eagle Tower, which is still $1 million over budget, and the PRAT Tax in Sturgeon Bay may be moving ahead. After the break, Myles has been noticing a younger demographic of people in the county, and brainstorms some reasons why that may be and what the future holds.
Andrew Kleidon and Aleah Kidd sit down with Wally Vartanian of Wally's Weenie Wagon to talk about opening a food truck in Door County, their trial by fire opening on 4th of July, and the story behind Wally's 15 years in the making.
There are a lot of small updates to ongoing stories this week, including: The Land Trust meets Pebble Beach goal, Horseshoe Bay Farms selects a firm for master planning, and Sturgeon Bay moves to 8-man football. Also, have you been wondering about the water pumping out of the Boathouse in Sister Bay? And an update on the Sister Bay Shuttle program. After the break, Maddy Schierl talks about her takeaways from the Women’s Fund luncheon
From the bar to the bottom of Lake Michigan, this collection of stories from Door County Living Magazine spans the civil war to present day. Stories read include:
‘The Sage of Shivering Sands’ written by Jim Lunstrom and read by Andrew Kleidon “Through Violet’s Eyes” by Sharon Auberle and read by Maddy Schierl The Bayside Tavern: Door County’s Great Equalizer by Myles Danhausen and read by Celeste Benzschawel and Where Underwater Treasures Lie by Patty Williamson and read by Sam Kersebet
Andrew Kleidon and Alissa Ehmke talk all about the 2019 Hal Prize. Every year the Peninsula Pulse invites people of all ages, backgrounds and artistic abilities to submit stories, photographs and poems for a chance to be published in our annual Hal Prize literary and photography issue. The Hal Prize is held in the spirit of the late Hal Grutzmacher, a professor and Door County bookstore owner, by offering commentary and encouragement to promising writers and photographers.
Andrew and Aleah sit down with Carrie Lautenbach-Viste to talk everything cherries. From the history of the cherry on the peninsula and Cherryland USA, to pick your own cherries, cherry wine, and more.
Andrew and Myles round up this weeks news, including the changing mood at the Sturgeon Bay City Hall (1:10), snags for the West Waterfront Redevelopment Plan (2:40), the Tall Ship Festival this weekend, and the Village of Sister Bay and the Door County Land Trust's plan to purchase and protect Pebble Beach (10:00). After the break Myles sits down with Chad Kodanko and Denise Bhirdo to talk more about that purchase.
Jon Kresin and Amelie Eiding, the husband and wife team behind 7000apart, a Swedish/American Organic Pop Duo call in to talk recording an album, their first international tour, and their first Door County performance at Fika Bakery & Cafe in Fish Creek this weekend.
Andrew and Myles break down this weeks news, including a proposal to remove fines for marijuana possession, the sale of the West Side School in Sturgeon Bay, and Brick Party by the Bay, a Sister Bay Lego party. After the break the Ad Hoc West Waterfront Planning Committee presented a new proposal for Sturgeon Bay's West Waterfront, a centerpiece property that has been stuck in neutral for nearly a decade.
Andrew sits down with Pulse Entertainment and Outdoor Intern Maddy Schierl to talk great literature, fine art, outdoor activities, and writing for the Pulse this summer.
Andrew and Myles break down the weeks news, including The Premier Resort Area Tax which Sturgeon Bay had hoped to have included in the state budget to fund street repairs did not get approved, and what that means moving forward. Fish Creek has made considerable progress on their beach, and the Door County Triathlon this weekend. Also, we made a short video on the highest water levels we've seen in Door County in over 30 years.
Andrew Kleidon and Sam Kersebet sit down with Ryan Castelaz and Kindred DeGutis to talk about H E I S T, a new modern tavern in Sturgeon Bay.
Andrew and Myles preview the latest issue of Door County Living Magazine, and get excited for what might be the highlight of Myles' year, the Kids Triathlon. Then we break down the Door County Tourism Zone's annual report, detailing the drop in the number of hotel units over the last decade, the increase in AirBNB's, and the strength of Egg Harbor tourism.
Andrew, Grace, and Celeste break down all of the 4th of July festivities happening all week long in Door County, as well as a ton of other events and live music happening this weekend and beyond.
Andrew and Myles tackle this weeks news, including the Granary making its return trip across the Oregon St. Bridge, Sister Bay is starting a shuttle service to help alleviate congestion and parking, as well as combat drunk driving, and Shopko closes its doors in Sister Bay, what that means for its employees, the community, and local businesses.
Andrew sits down with Stephen & Corrie Beula Kovacs to talk playwriting, a little bit of Wisconsin history, and their first musical, We Like it Where? premiering at Northern Sky Theater this summer.
It seems like there's a festival every weekend in Door County this time of year! Andrew and Myles recap the Door County Beer Festival and Peninsula Century: Spring Classic, and prepare for this weekend's Uncork Summer, and Wine Fest. Also this week: Recall Petitions Filed Against 2 County Supervisors for Millpond Votes, The Village of Sister Bay Rescinds Assembly-Hall Zoning, The Granary is scheduled to move back across the bridge on July 24th, and a special Graduation Issue of the Peninsula Pulse comes out today, featuring the 2019 graduates, and noteworthy Door County alumni.
Andrew and Aleah are joined by Curtis Massad and Kelly Hartzell of Crate in Sturgeon Bay to talk sushi, seafood, and more.
Andrew and Myles break down the weekend's events, including the Door County Beer Festival and the Peninsula Century Spring Classic which will bring close to 2,000 people into Bailey's Harbor. After the break we put the spotlight on Holly LaPlant, a young woman who's embraced her family farm, and recap the story of how a Good Eggs imitator popped up in Lake Geneva.
Andrew and Celeste sit down with Lucy Hodkiewicz of The Lightbox in Ephraim to talk art, screen printing, and building a business from scratch.
Andrew Kleidon and Celeste Benzschawel are joined by Genevieve Heyward, a singer/songwriter with roots on Washington Island, to talk about producing her first album, her part in the Steel bridge Songfest, collaborations with local artists, and her first international tour.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson and Annie Egan to talk about the Celebrate Water Summit, the culmination of a year-long, county-wide focus on the Great Lakes.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen have the latest on Door 2 Door, a public transit system out of Sturgeon Bay which provides transportation to many seniors and others with limited mobility, which has had its future in flux over the last few months. Also this week sessions on affordable housing in Door County have been well attended and received, and momentum has been building towards potential solutions on that front. After the break, the water level in Door County is approaching a record high, after as recently as 2013 being at an all-time low.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Grace Johnson, and Celeste Benzschawel to talk about the upcoming 2019 Summer Music Preview, the new Weekly Music Preview newsletter, and to take a peak at some of the upcoming artists playing in Door County this summer.
After a brief, (I promise, it's brief,) discussion on Game of Thrones final season, Andrew and Myles jump into the news. This week: Highway 42 through Ephraim will be open for Memorial Day weekend, some new businesses are opening in Sister Bay, and both On Deck and Al Johnson's have redone the exteriors of their buildings, each one bringing them back to their historic roots. After the break Myles has some info from a housing session in Sister Bay, and shares a personal article he wrote for Memorial Day.
Steve Johnson has an interesting history with wine, starting in 2005 when he planted his first grape vines with hopes that Wisconsin would become the next great wine destination. Hear the story of Door 44 Winery, the origin behind the name, how Door County has become an excellent destination for wine, and more about their new facility on this episode of the Door County Pulse Podcast.
This week we have something a little different for you. Myles Dannhausen runs down the weeks news, including an update on the Ephraim Highway project, some more info on the town of Gibraltar's option on the Redman property, and we remember Rita Willems, whose life touched so many others during her time at the Alpine Resort and Sister Bay Bowl over many decades. Then, Andrew Kleidon is joined by Aleah Kidd and Grace Johnson to talk about Aleah's article: Game of Thrones: Door County Edition, and to go over their thoughts on the final season of Game of Thrones, place their bets on the finale, and more.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Jeff Herbst, Artistic Director for Northern Sky Theater this week to talk about the history of the theatre company, their current season, and their brand new facility that is opening this year.
Jon Jarosh of the Door County Visitor Bureau stops in to tell us about how Door County celebrates National Tourism Week, geeks out with Myles Dannhausen over how the numbers show tourism's impact on our local economy, and breaks down the growth of tourism spending in Door County over the last 10 years.
Andrew Kleidon and Celeste Benzschawel, News Writer for the Pulse, are joined by Jon Mueller, drummer, owner of Within Things Curiosity Shop in Sturgeon Bay, and ancient grain enthusiast to talk about the upcoming Wellness Festival at the Kress Pavilion, Gong Meditation, and more.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are ramping up for the Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5k this weekend, and Myles shares the economic impact the event has had on Door County over the last ten years. Myles also shares an article he wrote for the new Door County Living Magazine about the time Bob Hope visited Door County and stayed in Egg Harbor. Plus, Aleah Kidd educates Andrew on Bloody Marys, and the sudden influx of DIY studios in Door County over the last few years.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Aleah Kidd, Myles Dannhausen, and Brett Kosmider to tackle this weekends events, including the Door County Half Marathon, the Sturgeon Bay Rotary Shipyard Tours, Cinco De Mayo, the Kentucky Derby, and more.
Also we run down a list of businesses that are open for the upcoming season, as well as some new businesses that are opening for the first time this year.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen round up this weeks news, including bids coming in for the Eagle Tower rebuild at double the proposed budget, registration for the Door County Half Marathon is closing Monday, April 29th, and some exciting news coming out of Sister Bay, including decades old historic signage returning to On Deck. Also, the top 10 episodes of the Door County Pulse Podcast, what's gone into a year of podcast episodes, and a thank you to our staff and listeners.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are joined this week by Jess Reinke, Event Director and Property Manager at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor to talk about Every Day is Earth Day, a weekend long series of events coming to the Kress Pavilion this weekend. Other Events this weekend include: The Baileys Harbor Brown Trout Tournament The Barney Fun Run & Walk An Evening at Nature’s Opera at the Ephraim Nature Preserve The Little Mermaid Jr. at St. John Bosco Catholic School School of Rock at the Sturgeon Bay high school Griffon String Quartet at the Fish Creek YMCA And The Lower 5th at Door County Brewing Company
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss the challenges of finding affordable housing in Door County and why it matters to the Door County economy and the future of the community.
Andrew Kleidon and Aleah Kidd are joined by Gustavo “Goose” Gallardo and Chef Jamie Dahlin from Goose & Twigs, a new LEED certified Hotel, Cafe, and Marketplace in Sister Bay.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen break down this week's headlines, including Fish Creek's new plan to build an attractive bike park, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding building the first new ship in Sturgeon Bay in 40 years, and news from Madison regarding a potential early start to the school year.
Andrew Kleidon and Aleah Kidd sit down with JR Schoenfeld of Chives, Barringer's, RYE Restaurant and Lounge, and more, to talk fine dining for everyone, the culinary revolution, and his soon-to-be three food trucks in Door County.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen round up the news this week, including election results, Sturgeon Bay and Washington Island school referendums, advisory referendums on marijuana in Door County, the DCEDC's affordable housing study, the passing of "Smilin" Bob MacDonald, and more.
Andrew Kleidon sits down with Sam Kersebet, who you may remember from when he interned for Peninsula Filmworks last year, to talk about his new position as Editor and Videographer for Filmworks, his upbringing in Door County, his time away studying film, his love of French cuisine, silent sports, foraging, and more.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen tackle this weeks news, including a fire that destroyed a barn at the Schartner's Farm Market, a Door 2 Door update, the case for Treatment Court, and an update on the upcoming April 2nd Election.
James Larsen, Co-owner of Husbys Bar and Grill in Sister Bay, to talk negative Trip Advisor reviews, and how he responds to them.
This week on the Door County Pulse Podcast: (1:48) - Shopko closes all stores, Ephraim's highway construction officially begins, and the county may end funding for Door 2 Door rideshare program. (15:35) - Myles sits down with Sturgeon Bay School Superintendent Dan Tjernagel to talk about the upcoming school referendum, why referendums are important considering how schools are funded, and the challenges Door County schools face when it comes to funding. (50:30) - Jackson Parr is back in the county to talk about an upcoming article he wrote about water quality in the state, a new program that is set to tackle that issue, and what it could mean for the future.
Andrew Kleidon is here for a rapid-fire cavalcade of weekend events in a quick and easily digestible format for your morning commute. Events include: The Firehouse Knitters at the Liberty Grove Fire Station Team Trivia Night at the Bricklot Pub in Sturgeon Bay WRiTERS NiGHT at the Tambourine Lounge "Where Have all the Ciscoes Gone?" at Crossroads at Big Creek Littler Learners Tech at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilon "3D Sun" at Crossroads at Big Creek Beach Party in Casco, WI The Velveetatones at Waterfront Mary’s Bar & Grill at Beach Harbor Resort Bingo at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion Charlotte Lukes Bluebird Program at Newport State Park Chad Luberger Pottery at Plum Bottom Gallery in Egg Harbor Nationally Touring Illusionist Justin Flom at Southern Door Auditorium Dirty Duce at Waterfront Mary’s Bar and Grill Ukulele Society of Door County Jam at the Door County YMCA in Fish Creek And Ben Bedford at Lost Moth Gallery in Egg Harbor
Andrew Kleidon is joined this week by Myles Dannhausen and Matthew Marcon to round up the news, including the beginnings of a plan for the Granary in Sturgeon Bay, the mayoral forum between David Ward and Shawn Fairchild, and Expedia's naming Door County a dog friendly destination. For our Feature this week, we bid farewell to Matthew Marcon, multimedia producer for Peninsula Filmworks, co-host of the Weekend Primer Podcast, and dear friend. See you around, Matt!
Andrew and Matt are back with Matthew's final Weekend Primer. Check out this Friday's Podcast for our farewell to Matt as he searches out brighter pastures in California, though he's only moving there so his girlfriend can get him into Disneyland on the cheap. Events Include: Reading to a Therapy Dog at the Sturgeon Bay Library Comedy Night at the Carrington Pub at the Landmark Resort in Egg Harbor “Emma Toft: One with Nature” at the Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay Little Cisco at Waterfront Mary’s Bar & Grill and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Sturgeon Bay
This week Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen talk about the end of basketball season with the Gibraltar boys basketball team falling short in the sectional semi-finals and winter All Conference awards. Also, the start date for Ephraim's road construction has been set, Tony Evers declares 2019 the year of clean water, and the passing of another Door County legend, Jacob Ellefson.
Then, we have another installment of our series of conversations with local food entrepreneurs who are transforming Door County’s food scene. This week’s guest is Mary Deviley, owner of Tapuat Kombucha and The Kitschinn.
Andrew and Matt dug themselves out of their driveways just in time to deliver the Weekend Primer for the week of March 8th, 2019. Events include: "The Sinking of the Half-Moon" at the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay The Wine and Cheese Gala at Mr. G’s Logan Creek Grille The Civil Air Patrol-Door County Composite Squadron at the Cherryland Airport A Granary Informational Meeting & Celebration at Union Supper Pub in Sturgeon Bay The 84th Annual Steamboat Dinner at the Sturgeon Bay Masonic Lodge And Feed The Dog at the Door County Brewing Co. Music Hall & Taproom
Andrew Kleidon, Myles Dannhausen, and Aleah Kidd spend some time rounding up some of the new restaurants in Door County in 2019 this week. Also Ephraim's road construction has been delayed, but is on track to begin soon.
For our feature this week, we remember the late Doug Buchart, and Thumb Fun, an incredible amusement park that was frequented by countless families for nearly 40 years.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the weekend of March 1st, 2019. Events include: Darling West at the Tambourine Lounge in Sturgeon Bay Trivia Night Fundraiser at Alexander's Restaurant Animal Track Basics in Newport State Park Dig Deep live at Door County Brewing Co. Music Hall and Taproom "Right to Live" at Third Avenue Playhouse And The Play's the Thing at Bjorklunden
This week Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss Josh Kropuenske, the Gibraltar Women's Basketball coach who has transformed that program into a wild success, Supreme Court Candidate Neubauer, and the results of the wood study of Potawatomi Tower, which may indicate that the tower will need to come down.
Then, we have the fourth installment of our series of conversations with local food entrepreneurs who are transforming Door County’s food scene. This week’s guest is Matt Chambas and Jamie Mead, who are bringing incredibly unique, locally sourced, one of a kind farm dinners to the county through Door County Underground.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the week of February 22nd, 2019. Events include: Neil deGrasse Tyson's “My Favorite Universe" at Newport State Park Frozen Tundra Wine Fest at Parallel 44 Winery “Late Night Catechism” at the Southern Door Auditorium Katie Dahl at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion ZoupArt at the Kewaunee County Fairgrounds And A Thanksgiving Dinner Fundraiser at Alexander's Restaurant in Fish Creek.
This week Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss next week's midterm elections, the lack of referees in youth basketball leagues, and the success of the Gibraltar High School girl's basketball team.
Then, we have the third installment of our series of conversations with local food entrepreneurs who are transforming Door County’s food scene. This week’s guest is Ryan Castelaz, who is reinventing coffee at Discourse Coffee in Sister Bay and the 108 Creative Collective in Sturgeon Bay.
Andrew is back to the Weekend Primer! This week, him and Matt discuss all of the this weekend's events including:
The 10th annual Door County Short Film Festival in Sister Bay The Door County Cornhole Tournament at Maxwelton Braes Sturgeon Bay's Fire & Ice Festival Sample homemade soup/chili at Sick of Winter An Ice Party on Washington Island A Valentine's Day Concert at Birch Creek Music Festival And the Pie Party Fundraiser in Egg Harbor
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen discuss the City Council decision to override the mayor's veto of the Granary move, the life of Leo Zipper, and the community coming to celebrate Caspersons.
Then, we have the second installment of our series of conversations with local food entrepreneurs who are transforming Door County’s food scene. This week’s guest is Veronica Ripp, the woman behind Get Real Cafe and The Hitching Post.
Matthew recruited Myles Dannhausen to talk about all the weekend's events for this Weekend Primer.
Holiday Music Hotel's Love on Holiday at the Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay Washington Island is Celebrating Winter all weekend long Peninsula Music Festival's February Fest is Saturday at Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church And on Kangaroo Lake is the Door County Pond Hockey Tournament
Matthew Marcon and Myles Dannhausen talk about the crazy Door County weather including the Polar Vortex and school cancellations, the passing of Door County hoops legend John Toppe, and the sale of the pharmacy in Sister Bay's Shopko. Then, we have the first of our series of conversations with local food entrepreneurs who are transforming Door County's food scene. This week's guest is Britt Unkefer, the man behind Wild Tomato, Bier Zot, and Skip Stone Coffee.
Andrew and Matt are back to tell about all the weekend events in Door County including:
A viewing of "Paddle to the Sea" at the Door Community Auditorium with Third Coast Percussion The Groundhog Day Parade in Ellison Bay The tasty Great Waffle Breakfast at the Baileys Harbor Town Hall Who will be crowned Miss Door County at the Miss Door County Pageant at the Southern Door Community Auditorium Fashion Forward fashion show at the Kress Pavilion Door County Reads' Kickoff Celebration at Birch Creek And all of the wacky events that make up the Fish Creek Winter Festival
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen have a few updates regarding Sturgeon Bay's West Waterfront, as well as rumblings of a potential buyer for one of the Younkers buildings in the middle of town, plus more movement on the Forestville Millpond. For our feature this week, we're joined by Dan and Rachel Stollenwerk to talk about the Fish Creek Winter Festival, past and present.
Andrew and Matt are huge nerds, which is great considering this weekends events!
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Party at the Algoma Public Library ROCK! the 5th Grade Musical at the Southern Door Auditorium Gaming for a Cause at OtherWorlds, Book & More in Sturgeon Bay Winter Candlelight Ski at Whitefish Dunes State Park Fireside Coffeehouse Concert at the Door Community Auditorium
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back with a news week that saw meetings on the Gills Rock Shoreline, the Sister Bay Ice Rink closed down and the Broom-ball league left without a home, and Fish Creek's Fourth of July celebration and fireworks display canceled for 2019. Our feature this week continues the never-ending saga of the Sturgeon Bay Granary after the council voted to move the building back across the bridge to it's original location.
Andrew and Matt are back with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of January 18th, 2019. Events include: Pushin’ the Cushion Race in Kewaunee Family Art Day at Peninsula School of Art Rogue Theater’s Open Auditions at the Door County Community Foundation in Sturgeon Bay Hamiltunes at the Door Community Auditorium A Free Ice Fishing Weekend And the Lunar Eclipse at the Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are joined this week by Aleah Kidd to discuss the challenges they've faced hunting for a house in Door County. Plus, the team talks about updates to the upcoming highway reconstruction project, and new columns featuring the DCVB and DCEDC in upcoming issues of the Peninsula Pulse.
Andrew and Matt are back this week with your Weekend Primer for the week of January 11th, 2019. Events include: Fun Night Dance Party at Dancing on the Door in Egg Harbor Pour Decisions at Waterfront Mary’s in Sturgeon Bay Ski for Free at the Crossroads in Sturgeon Bay Crack the Ice Party at the Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay And our pick from 34 Things to Do in Door County this week is High School Basketball Rivalries, Sevastopol @ Gibraltar this weekend.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen finally get to deliver the story of the Ordinary High-Water Mark that has been at the center of the controversy surrounding the Sturgeon Bay West Waterfront for years. If you listened to The Fate of The Granary, then this is the next chapter in that story.
Andrew and Matt are back with the first Weekend Primer of 2019. Events include: Snowshoe Hiking at the Ridges Sanctuary Live Jazz at Root Bistro and Wine Bar in Sturgeon Bay LEGO Kids’ Club at the Sturgeon Bay Public Library And for our Winter Spotlight this week: Fat Tire Biking in Door County
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen wrap up 2018 and look forward to 5 big events happening in Door County in 2019.
Andrew and Matt are back with a special New Years weekend primer. Events include: Home for the Holidays at the Old Gibraltar Town Hall BINGO at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion A Winter Birds Program at Peninsula State Park New Year’s Eve Bash at the Carrington Pub at the Landmark Resort New Year’s Eve Formal at Door County Brewing Co. and Music Hall New Year’s Eve Fundraiser at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion Rockin New Year’s Eve Party at the Stone Harbor Restaurant & Pub New Year’s Eve Fireworks and Cherry Drop in Sister Bay The Jacksonport Polar Bear Swim A First Day Hike at Newport State Park and Peninsula State Park And the New Years Day Parade in Egg Harbor
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen wrap up 2018 with the Pulse Year in Review, and the 20 most read articles of the year on doorcountypulse.com
Andrew and Matt are back this week with your weekend primer for the weekend of December 21st, 2018. Events include: The Velvet Gentleman at Third Avenue Playhouse Ugly Sweater Party at Ape’s Bar & Grill in Algoma Christmas with Tonic Sol-Fa at the Southern Door Auditorium WheelHouse, at the Door County Brewing Co. And a Post-game Health Hike at the Crossroads at Big Creek
Morgan Mann stops into the studio to announce the titles for Door County Reads 2019, gives a brief synopsis of the two books selected, and gives us a sneak peak into the events calendar, special guests, and more! Then Andrew and Myles break down the news this week, including a preliminary proposal for Pebble Beach in Sister Bay, new candidates for Sturgeon Bay City Council and Mayor, and an announcement that many Shopkos across America are closing their doors.
For our feature this week, Myles wrote a list of things that make winter in Door County so special, as we begin to settle in to the season.
Andrew and Matt are back with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of November 14th, 2018. Events include: Festive Fridays at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor Welcome Winter at The Clearing in Ellison Bay Let’s Tell the Story at the Prince of Peace Church Midsummer’s Music Resident String Quartet at the Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay and the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor The BEGIN Music Series at The Artist's Guild in Sturgeon Bay Hagen Family Christmas Concert at Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay The Holiday Gift Show at the Plum Bottom Gallery in Jacksonport Radical Self Love and Artistic Integrity at the Hope United Church of Christ in Sturgeon Bay
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen this week to discuss the incredible success of the Sturgeon Bay Soccer team, and an update on charges being filed after the tragic death of a Door County cyclist in 2017.
For our feature this week, we remember Nancy Fisher, president of the Village of Egg Harbor, and the many projects she spearheaded, which transformed Egg Harbor forever.
Andrew and Matt are back with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of December 7th, 2018. Events include: Brian Vander Ark at the Tambourine Lounge in Sturgeon Bay The Door County YMCA Ugly Sweater 5k Fun Run The History of Christmas Trees at the Crossroads at Big Creek The Noble House Tree Lighting in Fish Creek And Holidays on Ice at Bjorklunden
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen this week to talk about the upcoming Hotel Dorr requesting manipulation of the current zoning policy in Sister Bay, Death's Door Spirits has filed for bankruptcy, and the Granary's fate remains undecided in Sturgeon Bay.
Andrew and Matt are back with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of November 30th. Events include: The Whaliens at Third Avenue Playhouse Ephraim’s Christmas in the Village Harbor Holiday in Baileys Harbor Santa on the Tugboat in Sturgeon Bay Christmas at Birch Creek and the Baileys Harbor Winter Farmers Market
On this episode of Stories from the Door, Myles Dannhausen reads his article, A Lost Icon: The Omnibus, Matthew Marcon tells us about how The Pac Van Transports Game-Goers, Carries Memories, written by Sally Slattery, Aleah Kidd delivers everything you'd ever want to know about Cheese Curds: A Wisconsin Delicacy, written by Brittany Jordt, and Andrew Kleidon recounts the harrowing tale of A Man Named Robert Noble And His Death-Defying Journey Across Death’s Door, written by Laurel Hauser.
Andrew and Matt are back with your Thanksgiving Weekend Primer! Events include: Fika Yule at Fika Bakery and Cafe in Fish Creek Thanksgiving Day Parade in Jacksonport Capture the Spirit in Sister Bay The Friends of Gibraltar Holiday Art Fair Holly Days in Egg Harbor Breakfast with Santa at Carrington Pub at the Landmark Resort Santa Land at the Kress Pavilion Swing Into the Holidays at the Door Community Auditorium and Holiday Open Houses throughout the County.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back to recap this weeks news, and give you a glimpse at the upcoming issue of the Peninsula Pulse and Door County Living Magazine. We go over the county board's decision not to follow in the footsteps of a number of counties in putting Marijuana on the referendums, the upcoming road construction and what it will mean for Fish Creek Businesses, and take a look inside the upcoming issue of Door County Living Magazine.
For our feature this week Andrew, Matt, and Aleah discuss Cherry Lanes, Door County's new Arcade Bar and Bowling Alley.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the weekend of November 16th, 2018. Events include: R.O.M.E.O. at the Sister Bay Bowl The Celebrity Roast of Andy Coulson at the Door Community Auditorium Christkindlmarkt in Kewaunee Christmas Tree Lighting & Chili Supper in Ellison Bay and Christmas by the Bay in Sturgeon Bay
Andrew and Matt are back this week to deliver the weekend primer for the weekend of November 9th. Events include: Reading to a Therapy Dog at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion Family Fall Festival at the Kewaunne Public Library Absolute Bratwurst at Waterfront Mary's 80's Trivia Night in Algoma and Mamma Mia at Southern Door Auditorium
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back this week to go over all of the 2018 Midterm Election Results, starting in Door County and then moving outward, including the Door County Sheriff's race, the Wisconsin Governors Election, School Referendums, and more.
Myles Dannhausen is out this week, so Matt Marcon and Andrew Kleidon are here to round up this weeks news, and to encourage you all to vote November 6th, 2018.
Andrew and Matt are back this week for your Weekend Primer.
Events for the weekend of November 2nd are as follows: Star Gazing Dinner & Movie as the Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor The Turkey Trot in Sevastopol Rib Fest at The Lodge at Leathem Smith An Immersive Screening of Clue Maxwelton Braes And the End of Daylight Savings Time
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen give a recap on all the latest Door County news, including the upcoming elections and referendums. Aleah Kidd tells us about her first Fall 50 experience, complete with rain, wind, and snow.
Our feature this week is all about Halloween.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer! Events this weekend include:
YMCA Halloween Parties Thrills on Third in Sturgeon Bay DIY Slime at the Sturgeon Bay Library Stone Harbor Restaurant Halloween Party Trouble at Tropicana Halloween Safe Walk in Egg Harbor Thank You Reception at Edgewood Orchard Gallery Dark Songs at the Holiday Music Hotel and Jack o' Lantern Days in Fish Creek
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen this week to wrap up this weeks news regarding the Fish Creek Beach bathrooms, the upcoming school referendums, and more.
Our feature this week focuses on this weekend's Fall 50 race, the history of the event, the costumes, and the course.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer. Andrew doesn't know anything about sports, so Matt gives him the rundown on the Packers 100 year celebration. Likewise, Andrew's a fan of camping, and recommends that everyone check out the fall colors this weekend from a camp site. Other weekend activities include a costume party in Sturgeon Bay, the Ellison Bay Art Crawl, and Space events at the Astronomical Society.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen and Aleah Kidd to talk about the upcoming Fish Creek boat house vote, the Gibraltar referendum, and Fall Fest weekend in Sister Bay.
Andrew and Matt are back again with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of October 12th. Events include: Rock and Roll Fossils in Peninsula State Park Family Fall Festival in Algoma The Kingston Trio at Door Community Auditorium and Fall Fest in Sister Bay
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back this week to discuss some interesting news featured in this week's Peninsula Pulse. Andrew also sits down with Alissa Ehmke about her recent interview with US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith. Our feature this week centers around the DNR's sketches of the new Eagle Tower design, featuring a 60-foot observation tower and a 1,000-square foot observation deck .
Andrew and Matt are back again with your weekend primer. Events include: Hans Gruber and the Die Hards at Door County Brewing Co. Taproom and Music Hall The Brussels Haunted Mansion Apple Festival at Seaquist Orchards Run Wild at Potawatomi State Park and Pumpkin Patch in Egg Harbor.
This week on the Door County Pulse Podcast Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen, writer and editor for the Peninsula Pulse, to talk about the future of the Weborg fishing property in Gills Rock, and the registration for the 2019 Door County Half Marathon.
For our feature this week, we discuss the sale of the iconic Horseshoe Bay Farms to a family that hopes to put it into a non-profit to make it a community space.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the weekend of September 28th, 2018. Events include: The Inside/Outside Sale in Fish Creek The Fall Art Fair in Fish Creek Twilight Tours, Tunes, and Tales at Eagle Bluff And The EPIC Door County Treasure Hunt
Andrew Kleidon is joined this week by Myles Danhaussen to give a short news update regarding the Sheriff Candidate Forum, the upcoming midterm elections, and the Fish Creek Beach House.
Aleah Kidd has just come back from a private event on Washington Island this week, and shares her experience with Death's Door Spirits Juniper Harvest.
Andrew Kleidon and Matt Marcon are back with your Weekend Primer for the weekend of September 21st, 2018. Events include: Super Kids Fun Night at the Sturgeon Bay YMCA Speakeasy Casino Night Fundraiser at Maxwelton Braes The Hey Hey 5k and Autumnfest & Classic Auto Show in Baileys Harbor Fall Harvest Festival at Lautenbach’s and Stinkfest in Egg Harbor.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back this week to hopefully clear the air surrounding the new 40-unit hotel in Sister Bay. What actually is this project? How unique is it in terms of size and location? Has Sister Bay's recent revitalization killed the quaint village it once was?
Andrew and Matt are here with your weekend primer for the weekend of September 14th, 2018.
Events this weekend include: The Washington Island Literary Festival The Peninsula Century Fall Challenge The Sturgeon Bay Open Bass Tournament The Egg Harbor AleFest and the Sturgeon Bay Harvest Festival, Car Show & Street Auction
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are back this week to talk about the latest issue of the Door County Living Magazine, current events, the return of cruise ships to the great lakes, and more.
Our feature this week is centered around the Prevent Suicide Door County walk this coming Monday, September 10th, 2018, and the startling statistics that edge Door County's suicide rates above the national average.
Andrew and Matt are back with a post-labor-day weekend primer. Events this week include: The Corn Fest The Door County Century, And the Punt, Pass, and Kick Competition.
This week Andrew Kleidon has a sneak peak at some of the articles you'll be able to read in this week's issue of the Peninsula Pulse, as well as an interview with Peninsula Filmworks Intern Sam Kersebet. We talk growing up in Door County, seeing the county from a new perspective, and what it's been like telling the stories we've documented here all summer long.
Andrew and Matt are back this week with your Weekend Primer. Talking points include: Porky's Groove Machine at the Door County Brewing Co. Music Hall and Taproom Sturgeon Bay Vintage Home and Garden Fair The Belgian Kermis in Brussels The Gills Rock ArtFest And the Baileys Harbor Hoedown
20 years ago today a Tornado ripped through Egg Harbor. Myles Dannhausen talks with Sarah Sawyer about her experience with the tornado, which passed through her home on August 23rd, 1998, with her children in the basement below.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the weekend of August 24th, 2018. Events this weekend include: The Death's Door BBQ Competition on Washington Island A Peninsula State Park Scavenger Hunt A Whitefish Dunes Primitive Fire Demonstration and Armchair Boogie performing live at the Carrington Pub in Egg Harbor.
Andrew Kleidon is joined this week by Myles Dannhausen to talk County League Baseball, the Peninsula Music Festival, and the anniversary of a destructive tornado that hit Egg Harbor 20 years ago.
For our feature this week, Andrew sits down with Celeste Benzschawel, the Peninsula Pulse's Arts & Entertainment Intern, to talk about the local music scene, and the people and places she's seen this summer.
Andrew and Matt are back with your weekend primer for the weekend of August 17th to 19th. Events include the Egg Harbor Farmers Market, The 36th annual Valmy Thresheree & Antique Machinery Show, the Soar on the Shore Kite Festival in Algoma, the Washington Island Fair, the Short Film Festival in Sister Bay, and the annual Belgian Kermis in Brussels.
Andrew Kleidon is joined this week by Myles Dannhausen to talk about the news you can read in this weeks issue of the Peninsula Pulse. Talking points include: The new staircase leading from the bluff to the water in Ports Des Morts park. The County League Baseball Championships between Sister Bay and Egg Harbor. Our feature this week is the approval of the new Eagle Tower in Peninsula State Park.
Andrew and Matt are back with you're Weekend Primer for the weekend of August 10th. Events this weekend include a Cabaret at the Donald and Carol Kress Pavilion in Egg Harbor, Five different festivals occurring throughout the county on Saturday, August 11th, and a performance of The Drowsy Chaperone at Peninsula Players.
Andrew is joined by Jackson Parr in the studio one last time before Jackson takes his leave to pursue a masters degree in Madison. Talking points include Jackson's history in Door County, favorite articles he's written, his walking trip across the country, and more.
Andrew and Matt are here with your weekend primer for the week of August 3rd, 2018. Talking points include: The Red Putter Tournament, Pro Wrestling at the Door County Fair, Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week, live music at Peg Egan in Egg Harbor, and Shakespeare in the Park.
Andrew is joined by Myles Dannhausen this week to discuss the ongoing debate about the current Sturgeon Bay Administrator's job. We also talk about a new writing initiative and workshop hosted by Write On, as well as the opening of the Cave Point Cave for an annual tour.
Andrew and Matt run down the weekends events in Door County, including the Burning Cow Music Festival, Door County Plein Air Festival, the Salvation Army Doughnut Girls presentation, and more.
This week Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen and Jackson Parr for an update on the proposed Fish Creek Beach House. Also up for discussion is the Peninsula School of Art's Plein Air Festival, and a post-triathlon report.
For our feature this week, we discuss an upcoming article Jackson and Jim Lundstrom are writing about tariffs and their effect on the local economy.
Andrew and Matt are ramping up for this weekend with a list of live music performances happening all throughout the county. Other events include the Lavender Festival and Fly-in Fish Boil on Washington Island, and the LEGO Brick Party in Sister Bay.
Andrew Kleidon is joined by Jackson Parr to discuss the recent vote on the Fish Creek Beach House, as well as recounting Jackson's running career in regards to the upcoming Door County Triathlon.
For our feature this week, Pulse Multimedia Editor Aleah Kidd previews some local food articles she's written for the coming issues of the Pulse, and we hit on Taco Cerveza's opening in Fish Creek.
This week Andrew and Matt are getting ready for the Cherry De-Lite Festival, going stargazing with Universe in the Park, and gearing up for the Door County Triathlon.
This week we have something a little different for you. Stories from the Door is a monthly collection of articles read aloud from the Door County Living archives.
Stories in this episode include: A Raucous Bunch of Marines: Son Uncovers Story of His Father’s 40 Thieves written by Jim Lundstrom, and read by Jackson Parr.
The Alexander Nobel House written by Sheila Sabrey-Saperstein, and read by Andrew Kleidon
A Course for the Everyman: Stone Hedge Golf Course written by Sean Zak, and read by Matthew Marcon
My Recurring Kitchen Nightmare written and read by Myles Dannhausen Jr.
4th of July is a week long event in Door County, so Andrew and Matt have you covered a day early. This is your guide to food, live music, family fun, and fireworks, so you can get the most out of Independence Day 2018.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen are preparing for the 4th of July. Talking points include Independence days of their youths, and the best locations to see the fireworks this year.
For our feature this week, Andrew and Myles talk about the Door County Living Magazine, available throughout the county now.
Andrew Kleidon and Matthew Marcon discuss the events for the weekend of June 29th, 2018, including Water and Wax at Cappaert Contemporary Gallery, The Door County Wine Festival in Sturgeon Bay, and a special showing of The Emissary at Base Camp Coffee.
Andrew Kleidon and Myles Dannhausen got soaked last weekend at the Door County Beer Fest and Peninsula Century ride, and we talk to Aleah Kidd, the Pulse resident foodie about Uncork Summer.
For our feature this week, Andrew and Myles talk about Door County's LGBTQIA+ community, and the Open Door Pride Festival.
Andrew Kleidon and Matthew Marcon discuss the events for the weekend of June 22nd, 2018, including Uncork Summer, new restaurants to try, and outdoor activities perfect for any summer weekend.
Andrew Kleidon and Jackson Parr have the update from the latest Ephraim town board meeting, and they discuss the results of the Wisconsin special election.
For our feature this week, Jackson has prepared something a little different for us, and tells the story of how Ellison Bay got its name.
Andrew Kleidon and Matthew Marcon discuss the events for the weekend of June 15th, 2018, including the Steel Bridge Song Festival, Door County Beer Festival, The Peninsula Century Spring Classic, Fyr Bal, and more.
Andrew Kleidon and Jackson Parr discuss the recent Ephraim town board meeting regarding Ephraim's streets.
For our story this week Andrew has a roundtable with Grace Johnson, Aleah Kidd, and Celeste Benzschawel to talk about the Pulse Summer Music Preview.
Andrew Kleidon and Matthew Marcon discuss the events for the weekend of June 8th, 2018, including the Sister Bay Goat Fest and Parade, The Door Kinetic Arts Festival with Rainn Wilson and Holiday Reinhorn, and The Beach Boys performing at Door Community Auditorium.
This week Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen to talk about Door County's mysterious locations, the 2018 New Business Guide, and Door County hiking trails.
For our story this week, Myles sat in on an opioid addiction round table with the Door County Sheriff's Department, and Sen. Baldwin.
This week Andrew Kleidon is joined by Jackson Parr to talk about food truck litigation, the cost of the winter storm Evelin, Ephraim's speed limit, and Door County Underground.
In our interview this week, Andrew talks with Matt Marcon, the new Multimedia Manager for the Peninsula Pulse about his time in New York, and what brought him back to Door County.
This week Andrew Kleidon is joined by Jackson Parr to talk about weekend events, the state of the Potawatomi Park tower, and Celebrate Water Door County Day.
In our interview this week, Andrew joins Myles Dannhausen in Peninsula State Park to ramp up for the Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K.
This week Andrew Kleidon is joined by Myles Dannhausen to talk high school musicals, upcoming outdoor events, and the departure of Pulse Arts & Entertainment writer Alyssa Skiba.