Door County Pulse Podcast

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.