Door County Pulse Podcast

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.

Writer, singer and storyteller Katie Dahl joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about finding characters in old Door County books, the origins of Peninsula State Park, and working unwritten stories into her play, The Fisherman's Daughters. The play is on stage now at Northern Sky Theater.

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.

Five of our 46 presidents came into office without winning the most popular votes nationwide. A movement to change that has gained momentum, with many states now signed on to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact. The compact would change the way we elect our president from the winner-take-all Electoral College, to a one-vote, one-person popular vote. Debra Cronmiller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, and Dorothy Skye, president of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin join Debra Fitzgerald to unpack it all.

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.

Julie Gilbert and Amanda Stuck of Destination Door County join Debra Fitzgerald to talk about Destination Door County's efforts to make local goals part of the organization's tourism picture.

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.