Vessels larger than 24 feet high will need to plan alternate routes if they must pass through the channel in Sturgeon Bay. Construction crews are nearly 60% finished with Sturgeon Bay's new bridge. In order to stay on track and accommodate the Coast Guard, large vessels will not be able to pass through the channel for a number of weeks. Department of Transportation Northeast Region Project Supervisor Steve Noel says a change to the schedule means construction on both sections of the moveable section of the bridge will take place simultaneously. Because of that the ship channel will be closed to vessels requiring a bridge opening at the new bridge location.
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Noel says the original plan to work on the bascule portion half at a time is standard but the Coast Guard was concerned about navigating through the new bridge this way.
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This may be an inconvenience for large vessels, but Noel says 80% of recreational motor boats should fit under the bridge without having to open the lift section.
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Noel asks all boaters to be alert in this area and steer clear from crews trying to install the bascule section of the Maple to Oregon Bridge. Next week crews will work on the west bascule, following that crews will concentrate on both and in the final phase, May 30 -June 16, work will continue on the east bascule. This project is still scheduled to be complete by September.

The first Door County Sustainability Fair will be held on Sunday, April 20, from 12-5pm at Crossroads at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay. The fair is intended to inspire county residents to envision a more sustainable future by promoting ideas for a sustainable society. Door County Economic Development Corporation Economic Development Manager Sam
Perlman said this is a rare opportunity for people to explore sustainability in their own backyard without having to travel to a state or national convention hundreds or thousands of miles away.
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The fair will include presentations on topics related to sustainability and feature over 20 local businesses and non-profit organizations that will display information about creating conditions for social, economic and environmental sustainability. Owner of Perry's Cherry Diner Perry Andropolis said this is a great opportunity for all Door County residents to learn about sustainability.
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The fair will also have local food vendors, door prizes, music, kite making for kids, a guided nature walk of the Crossroads and other activities for all ages. This event is free and open to the public. Andropolis encourages everyone to stop by his booth because he will have a special give-away.

A generous donation means Door County Habitat for Humanity may lead their first remodeling project. The donated home on Rhode Island Street needs some major work says executive director Rick Nelson. Habitat has a couple options with this Rhode Island Street home. 
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The Door County branch of Habitat has build 25 homes in the last 15 years but Nelson says they have never taken on a remodeling job. He says this could be an interesting project for Habitat. The board is considering the remodel for a variety of reasons.
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Nelson says a remodel would make for an interesting project and would be a new challenge for the Habitat volunteers.
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Nelson says the home has been looked at by qualified individuals and it seems there are no environmental concerns with the structure. Further inspections may take place. Nelson guessed that the board will evaluate the situation and make a decision in the next couple months. Finding a partner family for the home would also be needed to fulfill the project. To help with this remodel project please contact the Habitat office at (920) 743-2869.

Learn what its really like to be an artist at the Miller Art Museum in Sturgeon Bay. The Kewaunee Academy of Fine Art has partnered with the Miller to bring: "The Making of An
Artist" to the museum. Miller art museum director Bonnie Hartman says this exhibit will interest anyone who wants to know more about the study of art.
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Hartman says people are spending a lot of time at this exhibit. She says there's lots to see. Several different stations are set up throughout the Miller Art Museum. This exhibit allows visitors to get an inside look at what it takes to go through the learning stations.
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The "Kewaunee Academy of Fine Art: Making of An Artist" exhibit will be on display now until April 15. The Miller Art Museum is located inside the Sturgeon Bay Library and admission is free.

Classic rock, oldies and a little new age music is what you’ll hear when Dow Jones takes the stage. Mark Thiede is the lead singer and guitarist in Dow Jones, a Sturgeon Bay combo band. Thiede was my guest on the WBDK Arts and Entertainment Page recently.
Mark Thiede started his musical career with another local band at the age of 16. He interviewed with the band without even playing guitar. He convinced the band members that he could learn the instrument and mesh with the group and the job was his.
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Dow Jones plays all types of venues. Thiede admits he and his fellow members have slowed with age. In the 1980’s Dow Jones was a traveling group that was on the road up to 200 days a year.
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Weddings, bars, lounges and all types of parties have been graced with Dow Jones presence for over twenty years. This Sturgeon Bay based band is full of life and energy. Thiede guaranteed everyone would enjoy their performance. He says the comedic value of their sets is just impressive as their musical talent.

Yesterday the Governor and Legislative Leaders announced a bi-partisan agreement on the Great Lakes Compact. With the agreement, the stage is set for Wisconsin to be the fifth state to pass the Great Lakes Compact.
The legislation will help protect the resource that is the Great Lakes. Even though the regular legislative session came to a close, work on the compact continued. Everyone understands how important it is for Wisconsin to pass the legislation and that is why both the Governor’s Office and the Legislature worked so hard to get this done, according to Senator Alan Lasee.
Though still only early April, the delay in reaching agreement on the legislation was due to the proposal containing both the compact language and administrative language. The bipartisan agreement announced yesterday leaves the compact language intact while resolving the administrative concerns of the Assembly Republicans. Lasee explained why it took so long to pass the legislation.
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Now the legislature can act to pass the compact and send it to the Governor for his signature knowing that the great lakes are being protected. Lasee talked about why it is important to have all surrounding states and Canada sign the compact.
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With the agreement in place, the Governor will call the Legislature into special session to act on the Great Lakes Compact. With passage, Wisconsin would join Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and New York in approving the compact. Still to pass legislation are Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Wisconsin Taskforce on Arts & Creativity was recently established to address the need for a creative workforce in all sectors and a deep entrepreneurial talent pool reports Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton. She says those things are important in order to compete well in a 21st century global economy. Together with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction Elizabeth Burmaster, Lawton announced the formation of the taskforce last week. Lawton says she is playing two roles. She is chair of the State Arts Board. In addition, Lawton is looking at the taskforce as the Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin, focusing on the economic development strategies that will reach statewide.
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Lawton says she and Superintendent Burmaster understand creativity to be the bedrock of the arts and the renewable resource that will be the sustainable energy of this economy.
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When the taskforce begins its work next month, they hope to be a guide in developing strong programs throughout the Department of Public Instruction, state policies and new partnerships everywhere. Their goal is to ensure that every Wisconsin child has an opportunity to develop their competitive edge. Lawton says Wisconsin's future prosperity depends on our success in establishing our leadership in innovation and ideas to meet the challenges of this 21st century.

A change to Sturgeon Bay's Spring Clean Up program means residents must now call to schedule a pick up time. This is the second year for the Large Item Collection and residents are catching on. Residents call to schedule a pick up time and collection will take place on the second Friday of each month until November. Public Works Superintendent Jerry DeMarb says large items should be brought out to the curb no sooner than 48 hours prior to pick up.
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As an added service, the city will now collect items that they have not in the past. Microwaves, computers, refrigerators, freezers and dehumifiers can be picked up and disposed of for a $25 fee. These hazardous items cannot be thrown in landfills and must be properly disposed.
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Smaller household items, non metal items less than 3' x 3' weighing less than 50 lbs, can be put out in your weekly garbage. Some examples are coffee pots, dvd/vcr players, clothing and blankets. Sturgeon Bay's Large Item Collection will begin with the first pick up on April 11. Collection will be on the second Friday of the month until November. Residents with large unwanted items must phone the Puble Works Department to schedule a pick up.

The Algoma Marina will be shut down and no public access will be granted for one week due to sediment removal that has settled on marina floor. The closure began this morning and will run until Tuesday. Algoma Park and Recreation Director Terry Qualman said L&M Industries of Black Creek will be handling the sediment removal. They will haul away the sludge and built up matter that has cut water levels in the marina to approximately four feet. Qualman talked about why this work needed to be done.
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Last year, 372 loads of material were removed from the marina. Qualman anticipates that 200 loads will be hauled away this year. That means tractor traffic from the marina to the drop off pit on Highway 54 just outside the city limits will be much higher for the next week. Qualman asks the boating community to stay away from the marina during this process.
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The Algoma Marina could be reopened as early as Monday, but Qualman said the project most likely would conclude on Tuesday.

Although the snow on the ground might provide evidence to the contrary, spring is just around the corner. And nothing says spring quite like…composting? Going Garbage & Recycling Inc of Sister Bay delves into composting for its April environmental speaker series lecture. Entitled “Composting 101+,” the lecture will take place tonight at 7:00 pm at the Sister Bay Fire Station, located at 220 Mill Road, Sister Bay. The lecture will feature Marcy McGrath, a Waste Management Specialist with the Department of Natural Resources.

Composting is the aerobic decomposition of biodegradable organic matter. This decomposition recycles organic household, yard waste and other materials into a very useful soil-end product called compost. Ultimately, this process allows the return of needed organic matter and nutrients back into the food chain. Composting is actually practiced under government mandate in many western countries, because it can significantly reduce the amount of green waste going into landfills.

McGrath has worked for the DNR since 2000, and her primary responsibilities include working with municipal recycling and composting programs. Not only does she provide technical assistance to communities about how to manage large municipal compost sites, McGrath also helps communities educate citizens about how to begin composting at home on their own.

McGrath will cover a variety of topics at the lecture, from how individuals and families can get started with home composting, as well as how communities and businesses can build larger-scale composting systems to reduce their landfill and trash impact.

The final Going Garbage Environmental Speaker for the 2008 season will be Wess Damro, who is the Recycling Manager for the Brown County Port & Solid Waste Department. Damro’s concentration is on household hazardous waste, and topics in the lecture will range from what is classified as hazardous waste to how to properly dispose of it, specifically e-waste. Attendees of this lecture are encouraged to come at 6:30 pm before Damro speaks to see a film screening of “The Digital Dump,” a 22-minute documentary about exporting digital waste to Africa.

For more information about the Going Garbage Environmental Speaker Series, or about Going Garbage and Recycling Inc, please call Christi Decker at (920) 854-2114 or visit www.goinggarbage.com.

After a long winter break, the Door County Invasive Species Team is gearing up for another battle. Number one on the list right now is Garlic Mustard. As the snow melts, Garlic Mustard is the first to pop up from the ground and make their mark. Door County Invasive Species Team Coordinator Bob Bultman says now is a good time to eradicate Garlic Mustard.
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Bultman says Garlic Mustard sits on the list of most threatening invasives in Door County. Spring is the best time to fight Garlic Mustard as it is easy to identify and the soil is moist, which makes it easy to pull out of the ground. Bultman says if we do not act and remove Garlic Mustard from our state natural areas, state parts and private lands, we will be looking at a radically different environment than we have today.
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Bultman invites everyone to join in on the fight against Garlic Mustard this spring. He says a little help from everyone goes a long way. For more info. phone the Door County Invasive Species Team hotline at 920 - 746 - 5955

Since Charlie Most announced his resignation as the Door County Board of Supervisor Chair, a few supervisors have been campaigning for the seat. District 20 supervisor Marc Savard has expressed an interest in being the next chair. He has been campaigning and lobbying within the board, as that is the body that will choose the next chair. Savard has
been on the board for seven years.
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When asked what he would bring to the board if elected, Savard feels the board needs to change the direction on the budget.
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Savard said Most did a very good job (as chair). He says Most's six years of service are very commendable, regardless of if Savard agreed with his political proposals or not. Savard talks about what he would do differently as board chair.
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Savard says there is no secret that supervisors Ken Fisher and Leo Zipperer are also vying for the board chair position. Campaigning for board chair is a bit different from other elections.
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In the upcoming days, you'll hear about Leo Zipperer's run for board chair. Ken Fisher did not care to speak with DoorCountyDailyNews.com about his run for chair of the Door County Board of Supervisors. The board will vote for a new chair on April 15.

The Open Door Dental Clinic will be applying sealants to children’s teeth on three different days this spring. There is no charge for this service. Professionals will be applying a fluoride varnish to the teeth of children age 12 months through 10 years of age. The first session will be held on April 11 from 11 AM to 5 PM at the Open Door Dental Clinic at 1843 Michigan Street in Sturgeon Bay.
Dental Coordinator at the Open Door Dental Clinic Mary Ann Zjala said this is a painless and relatively simple procedure. The application of the varnish should take approximately five to ten minutes. Zjala talked about what varnish does for teeth.
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Open Door Dental will brush the young person’s teeth when they sit in the dental chair and then apply the fluoride varnish. Zjala said the varnish can help prevent tooth decay for children.
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To make an appointment for your child call Elaine at 746-3528 between 8 AM and noon. The NWTC Nursing Program, Door County Public Health Department, AHEC and the Open Door Dental Clinic are offering the fluoride varnish service.

Other "Prevent Tooth Decay" days have been scheduled for May 6 and May 7.

Beginning the week of April 21, the Francis Hardy Center for the Arts in downtown Ephraim will kick-off the arts mentorship component of its new art education program, Exposure to Creativity (ETC).
   The Hardy's Exposure to Creativity (ETC) Arts Mentorship Program uses arts education to create a spark that lights the imagination and creativity of the youth in our community. Through a partnership with Gibraltar Area Schools and Friends of Gibraltar (FOG) the FHCA is able to reach out to young people ages 14-18 years old and expose them to creative-related professions including photography, theater, dance, songwriting and music recording and culinary, literary and visual arts. The FHCA believes in the importance of exposure to the arts and hopes to empower young people to develop creative practices they can sustain throughout their lives.
   "As the implementation of the ETC Mentor Program nears, we are excited about the enthusiasm and interest on behalf of the students," says Jan Comstock, the center's executive director. "Over the past six months, we have identified an astonishing sixty-six students with sincere interest that wish to further their development through a mentor relationship," she continued.
   The Hardy is still enthusiastically recruiting creative professionals, active or retired, with knowledge in their respective fields to participate in the ETC program. Individuals with professional experience in the culinary or performing arts, architecture, literary and fine arts, landscape, graphic and interior design and anything in between are encouraged to contact the FHCA to complete a survey.
   A winter survey of Gibraltar High School students reflected areas of interest for the ETC Mentorship Program as well as the fall 2008 workshops. The 12-hour total mentor experience will begin the week of April 21 with sessions that are scheduled to take place at Gibraltar High School and various community locations, under the supervision of FHCA and FOG staff.
   A parent orientation session for the Exposure to Creativity (ETC) Arts Mentorship Program took place earlier this week at the Gibraltar High School.
For more information about ETC or the Francis Hardy Center for the Arts, please contact Executive Director Jan Comstock at 920.854.2210, or via email at jcomstock@thehardy.org or log onto thehardy.org.

The curtain is about to rise on the 18th season of American Folklore Theatre with some of the company’s favorite plays…tried and true. But as familiar as the shows might be this season’s performances will be fresh and fun. The 2008 summer schedule includes the AFT classic “Fishing for the Moon,” the first Fred Alley and James Kaplan collaboration; “Lumberjacks in Love” which was first performed in 2005; and the newest musical “A Cabin With a View.” All three plays are set in Wisconsin which is one of the trademarks of an AFT show.
“We are very unique as a theatre company as our shows are really about local lore and stories,” said Kaye Christman, AFT managing director. “And that’s also our biggest challenge, creating shows that are original as well as entertaining. It is an arduous process to create a new show and sometimes it takes years to write and develop a new concept.”
Founded in 1990, American Folklore’s roots are planted deep in Wisconsin soil, a direct descendant of The Heritage Ensemble, established by University of Wisconsin professor Dave Peterson in 1970. Based on “Song of the Island Seas,” a Midwestern epic story, the Ensemble’s long-time members Fred Alley, Doc Heide, and Gerald Pelrine moved the troupe to the next level of professionalism and formed the American Folklore Theatre 20 years later.
Today, more than 50,000 guests attend American Folklore Theatre performances. During the summer months the company performs under the tall trees in Peninsula State Park. As summer moves into fall the AFT moves indoors to perform in one of the peninsula’s town halls. “This year we are actually hosting two shows beginning after Labor Day,” explained Christman. “With the election in November we decided to bring back ‘And If Elected’ for a limited two-week run in September. And our new fall musical show will be ‘Sometimes a Song’ featuring the songs of Dan Fogelberg who died last year.”
American Folklore Theatre, a non-profit, is hosting two events and the public is invited to participate. Eric Lewis and Tommy Burroughs will perform a one-night concert on Saturday, May 3rd in the Ephraim Village Hall. Later in the month “Raise the Curtain” will feature a dinner, raffle, and silent auction in support of the theatre company. Special appearances by some of the company’s actors will provide a tease of things to come this season. This event will take place at Alpine Resort – The Hof Restaurant on Sunday, May 25th.
Whether performing under the stars or within Door County’s historic town halls, American Folklore Theatre is magical, a treat for all ages, a truly Wisconsin experience.
For more information on AFT’s schedule and ticket purchase or to become a volunteer call 920.854.6117 or visit www.folkloretheatre.com.

Many businesses in Medford, Wisconsin have gone under in the past few years and General Manager of WKEB & WIGB radio Brad Dahlvig does not blame that on their new Walmart Supercenter. Medford's new 99,700 square foot Supercenter opened last month
and Dahlvig says the new store has not yet effected his business. As far as other businesses around town, Dahlvig says many went under years ago. He says Medford is a small town. Medford's population is 4,000 and that number doubles everyday due to the industry there.
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Dahlvig wondered if people these days are not interested in owning their own business or if there has been a change in buying habits.
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Dahlvig says thirty years ago, when he first got into advertising, many young people were starting their own businesses and that's not the case these days. He encouraged Door County business owners to find out what the large retailer, like Walmart, does not do and focus on that. In addition, Dahlvig says customer service is also very critical, whether its in the aisle or follow-up service.

Over $8,000 were raised last night at the annual Sturgeon Bay noon Rotary Club NCAA Championship night. Attendance at the Ladder House topped 250 and all of the money went to the Open Door Dental Clinic. The proceeds will help less fortunate children with tooth sealants, cavity fillings and dental check ups.
The grand prize for the event was a 50-inch LG Plasma HD TV. The winner was Sturgeon Bay’s Shannon Hartel. Over $2,500 were also given away to other prizewinners.
This year’s noon Rotary event may go down as the best ever. The amount raised will most likely eclipse the previous high.
If you missed out on the fun at last night’s NCAA Championship overtime thriller, plans for next year’s event is already in the works, according to co-organizer Steve Abrahamson. Andy Boetcher, Mike Herlache, Nick Freimuth, Andy Starr, Paul Salm and Joe Witt also were involved in the organization of this year’s fundraiser.
The committee thanked all of the sponsors, those in attendance, and all the staff at the Ladder House for making the 2008 NCAA Championship Night one of the best ever. By the way, Kansas won in overtime, 75-68.

For the first time ever, Walmart opened their doors in Medford, Wisconsin last month. The store is a Supercenter but the unique thing about this one is the size. Medford's Supercenter is 99,700 square feet large. Many Door County residents are concerned about what would happen to the community if a Supercenter would move in, others welcome the idea. The retailer is still communicating with Sturgeon Bay about the deal. Medford Chamber of
Commerce Executive Director Sue Emmerich says the population of Medford is 4,000 but that number swells to 8,000 during the day because of industry in town. Walmart started Supercenter talks with Medford about four years ago.
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Emmerich thinks Medford's business community has enough savvy to understand that they need to make some changes and focus on customer service.
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Emmerich believes it will take at least a year to see how Walmart might effect the local businesses in the area. When asked what advice she had for local businesses in the Door County area, Emmerich said this.
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One business Emmerich visited on that field trip was a store that formerly sold televisions. Emmerich said the man decided to stop selling TVs and just service the ones bought from Walmart because the store did not have a service center.
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The current size of Sturgeon Bay's Walmart is just under 66,000 square feet. The initial Supercenter proposal was 180,000 square feet, but the retailer recently said they consider a 150,000 square foot building. The Walmart Supercenter issue is still being discussed at the city level.

The Open Door Dental Clinic needs your support to help youngsters in the community. Open Door provides free dental care for youngsters age 3-18 who do not have dental insurance. You can help support the Open Door Dental Clinic by enjoying tonight's NCAA basketball tournament at the Ladder House in Sturgeon Bay. Open Door Dental clinic coordinator Mary Ann Zjala says the number of children visiting is rising every year. In 2007, there were 494 visits and that's up from 363 the previous year. Along with that, there were a number of new patients last year as well. The clinic saw 221 kids in 2006, compared to 273 this past year. Zjala talks about the clinic.
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You can help the Open Door Dental Clinic by enjoying the NCAA basketball tournament tonight at the Ladder House in Sturgeon Bay. Proceeds from this Rotary sponsored event go the clinic.
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Support the Open Door Dental Clinic tonight by enjoying the NCAA basketball tournament at the Ladder House in Sturgeon Bay at 7:00PM. Tickets are $20 and include admission, hors' deurves and a chance to win a 50" high def flat panel television.

he first ever Mr. Door County was a smashing success Saturday night at the Sturgeon Bay High School Auditorium. Sturgeon Bay senior Ben Kerwin was the winner. He was crowned after talent, on stage question and formal ware portions of the evening. Ben started out the evening with an Irish jig for his talent. Kerwin was thoughtful and collected in the on stage portion of the contest. In formal ware, the young men were asked to pick an outfit that best described them. Kerwin wore an outfit highlighting his world travels. He talks about what he plans to do as Mr. Door County 2008.
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Organizer Annika Paulsen said she was thrilled with the turnout, the results and the feedback.
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Over 200 people were in the crowd cheering on this year's contestants. Over $2,000 were raised during the event. The money will go to an impoverished school in need of property in Bolivia. If the school does not get all the money needed, it will close. Funds from the Mr Door County event will go towards land acquisition. A second annual event may be in the works for 2009.