Offering a safe harbor for the parents, family, and friends who care for children with disabilities, PATH--an acronym for Promoting Access to Help--serves the entire Door County community. In addition to offering support to families and friends of children with disabilities, PATH also serves as a resource and referral center, provides education through special programming opportunities, and initiates individual and group advocacy.

“Raising a child with special needs is a unique experience, particularly in a rural area,” stated Veronica Behme, PATH volunteer coordinator. “PATH provides a place for families to connect, share their experiences, support each other, and advocate for change. There is a sense of isolation when you have a child with disabilities and that is something we need to address. Our children and their families need to feel included in the fabric of the community.”

PATH is a non-profit organization, volunteer-supported organization. Membership to PATH is free and is supported by contributions and fundraising efforts. Upcoming events include a financial seminar on Saturday November 3rd from 8:30 - 3:45 pm. This seminar is co-sponsored by Children with Special Health Care Needs, Family Voices, and the YMCA. Lunch is provided. The White Christmas Raffle, a ping pong ball drop following the Sturgeon Bay Christmas By the Bay Parade, is planned for Saturday, November 17th at 12:30 pm. Raffle tickets are $5 or 5 for $20. The grand prize is $250. A Free Family Day at the Movies co-hosted with the Sturgeon Bay Cinemas will feature “Mr. Magoriums Wonder Emporium” on Saturday, December 1 at 10 am. This film is G rated.

Monthly PATH meetings are held the 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm. The meetings are held at the Sturgeon Bay Moravian Church located at 323 S. 5th Ave. For additional information call PATH at 559.6217 or email pathsbmc@charterinternet.com.

It might be a good time to have your brakes checked, along with your eyes. That's because November marks the highest month for deer-car collisions in Wisconsin. Randy Sahs, at Sahs Auto Collision in Sturgeon Bay said November is one of his busiest times of the year.
(Audio Here)
Sahs said the cars that come in usually have mostly front end damage, with less damage to the rest of the car.
(Audio Here)
According to Sahs, the damage after a car-deer collision usually looks worse than the total on the repair bill, in fact, he said, often cars can be repaired close to their original condition.
And although it is difficult to totally prevent a car-deer collision, Sahs recommends having those brakes checked to make sure you will be able to stop if you are suddenly confronted with a big buck on a dark country road.
(Audio Here)
He also suggests watching the roads you travel on by planning your route more along highways if possible.

Door County Economic Development Corporation Economic Development Manager Sam Perlman was recently recognized as a "Wisconsin Innovation Champion." The award comes from the Wisconsin Innovation Service Center at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The achievement was announced at the university's Ideas to Profits conference last month. Perlman talks about how it feels to have received this recognition.
(Audio Here)
DCEDC Executive Director Bill Chaudoir says he is very happy for Sam and is pleased with his accomplishments. Chaudoir says it is very deserving.
(Audio Here)
The award was from the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Network and Chaudoir is pleased with how Perlman has represented Door County.

After roughly seven months of serving on the Sturgeon Bay Plan Commission, Chair Ame Grail has resigned. Grail made the announcement earlier this week. 
(Audio Here)
Grail expressed an interest in serving the commission as chair when the seat needed to be filled back in April. Mayor Tom Voegele appointed her to the position after he was elected.
Grail was pleased to have served on the plan commission. When asked what advice she had to the person who will take over for her, Grail said this.
(Audio Here)
Playing a vital role in city planning, Grail believes the commission has done a very good job with the tasks they have been given.
(Audio Here)
While some hope Mayor Voegele would take over as chair, it is not yet known who will replace Grail.
(Audio Here)
Voegele knows the seat must be filled soon. He says there are many people who have expressed an interest in serving on the plan commission. Conversation between Voegele and the existing commission is expected to take place soon. Those interested in serving this or other committees are encouraged to contact Mayor Voegele.

There seems to be some confusion when it comes to parents who drink with their underage kids. It has been said that those under the age of 21 can consume alcohol in Wisconsin if their parents allow, but the issue is a bit more complex. The law talks about how an underage person may consume alcohol if they are with a parent, guardian or spouse. Kewaunee County Sheriff Matt Joski says things can get confusing, especially when we talk about what a guardian is.
(Audio Here)
Each establishment has the right to refuse alcohol service to those under 21. Joski says parents and guardians have a huge responsibility if they are allowing those under 21 to consume alcohol. He says once a parent or guardian leaves that establishment, the underage individual is legally no longer allowed to be on the premises.
(Audio Here)
Joski says the ins and outs of the law can be confusing, however, he asks why parents would would want to allow this behavior for those under 21.
(Audio Here)
Joski says parents are taking on a huge responsibility when allowing their underage children to consume alcohol. He says parents must be sure they are keeping a close eye on their kids after they've allowed them to drink. In the end, many would question why parents would want to set that kind of example for their children in the first place. For more about the rules & regulations...Click Here!

Strategic planning and prioritizing were atop the list of things to be discussed yesterday by the Sturgeon Bay Common Council. The council gathered for their second special meeting yesterday and Mayor Tom Voegele was again pleased with the results. The first meeting back in August focused on brainstorming issues like; goals and straggles. UW-Extension Community Development Educator Rob Burke led the meeting and one area of focus was the city's mission statement. Voegele says the council got close to doing that. Burke will revise that a bit, before it is finalized. Voegele talked about what else was addressed yesterday. 
(Audio Here)
Aside from the mission statement, the council was to prioritize their laundry list of visions and goals.
(Audio Here)
Voegele was pleased with what was accomplished at yesterday's meeting. He says this is a process and slowly but surely, the council is narrowing down their list of visions and goals for the city. Voegele believes the challenge will be staying focused and sticking to these items.
(Audio Here)
After Burke gathers and presents the information that was collected yesterday, Voegele hopes to host a town hall style meeting to discuss these issues with the community. Council members James Abeyta and David McAllister were not able to attend yesterday's strategic planning session.

The man who passed away Sunday morning at the Buzz Besadny fishery facility in Kewaunee has been identified as 56 year old Mark Opgenorth. Opgenorth was found at about 6:30 Sunday morning in one of the holding tanks at the facility. The cause of death has been ruled as a drowning.

DoorCountyDailynews.com needs your pictures for our Photo Of The Day program. The
Photo of the Day is one of the most visited pages on the DoorCountyDailyNews.com website and operations manager Bill Pevlor says we need your photos to keep the program running. From sunsets, to shorelines
 and everything in between, Pevlor says there are so many talented photographers, both  professional and amateur, who enjoy pictures of Door and Kewaunee Counties. There are many people who visit DoorCountyDailyNews.com to see the Photo of the Day
 daily.
(Audio Here)
Pevlor says photos must of Door or Kewaunee Counties. One of the biggest problems Pevlor has had is incomplete submissions. All photos must be titled and a short line or two describing the photo should be included too. Photo size is important as well. Pevlor talks about photographer submissions.
(Audio Here)
All guidelines are provided on the Photo of the Day webpage. Pevlor says now is a great time of year to head outdoors and capture some interesting images for the DoorCountyDailyNews.com Photo of the Day.

Road kill is being seen quite often throughout the past week and driver's need to be more cautious as we approach peek season for automobile-deer collisions. This is the beginning of one of the two deer seasons in Wisconsin. Door County Sheriff Terry Vogel warns all motorists to be alert when driving, especially on rural roads. He reminds motorists to buckle up and try to remain in control if you see a deer on or near the roadway.
(Audio Here)
The times to be on the look out for roving deer this season is in the evening, as most crashed occur between 8pm and midnight.
According to statistics from the Wisconsin DOT the number of people injured or killed in deer accidents has risen 23% across the state since 1993. Vogel hopes that with people being more aware of their surroundings and knowing it is deer season, the number could go down.
According to Vogel, damage to a vehicle that is $500 or more must be reported. If you strike a deer or notice one lying on the side of road, Vogel says to give a call to the Door County Sheriff's Department.

Door County is in need of new first responders. Ranging from Brussels to Gills Rock it is essential to have community members from all towns, villages and cities on the Door Peninsula. First responder class will be held on Tuesday at the Sister Bay Fire Station. This is the first in a series of classes to become certified in first responder skills. Upon completion, you will be eligible to join the various first responder groups in Door County and provide a genuine service to the community. Sister Bay Fire Chief Chris Hecht talked about the details of the class.
(Audio Here)
Hecht said this is an excellent way to give back to the community. Potential students can complete all the necessary schooling to become a first responder by completing the course held in Sister Bay. The Fire Chief said there is a great need throughout the county for more help in this area.
(Audio Here)
Basic certifications in CPR, first aid and defibrillator are renewed on a yearly basis, according to Hecht. Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays and finish by mid December. Another benefit of taking this course is that the basic costs are covered by the county. The only potential costs a student may be accountable for is for the purchase of books and the disposable CPR mask for training. If you become affiliated with a first responder group in Door County, certain groups will reimburse you for all of the cost. For more information contact Dick Burress at 743-5461 or Chris Hecht 854-4021.
 

Drinking and driving in Door County is an issue. By looking at the weekly police reports, the conclusion can be made that there is a real problem in Sturgeon Bay and the surrounding communities. Adults across the country are planning ways to scare up a good time this Halloween. In fact, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation, more than 69 percent of adults ages 25-34 and more than 63 percent of adults ages 35-44 plan to celebrate Halloween. Often alcohol plays a big role in Halloween parties. The Sturgeon Bay Police Department realizes that and will be on the lookout this weekend. Police Chief Dan Trelka said his officers look for the signs of a drunk driver every night, but Halloween weekend is a time to be vigilant.
(Audio Here)
Whether dressing up as your favorite movie star or a presidential contender for your Halloween party, there are a few simple ways to make sure your guests stay safe. Encourage them to designate a driver before the party begins. Offer a variety of good foods with your alcohol beverages, as well as non-alcohol beverages for the designated drivers. Serve guests one drink at a time and stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends. Trelka believes preventative measures like these are great ideas.
(Audio Here)
More than 154 million American adults have been or used a designated driver, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. They report that drunk-driving fatalities during the Halloween period are down 35 percent since 1982. If you plan to drink this Halloween weekend, Sturgeon Bay Police Chief Dan Trelka recommends a designated driver.