Door County Pulse Podcasts

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 h

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.