Door County Pulse Podcast

This weekend nearly 2,000 athletes will converge at the Door County Triathlon, Southern Door will host its big summer party and it all happens as businesses are grappling with delays and denials for summer international workers. Myles Dannhausen Jr. and Debra Fitzgerald discuss all this and the latest on a new CAFO in the county.

2026 is a midterm election year, and for the League of Women Voters of Door County, that means the same nonpartisan voter education work it does every election cycle now carries extra weight. Debra Fitzgerald talks with two of the League’s leaders – Tammie Grossman, who recently stepped into the chair role, and Maryanne O’Dowd, who coordinates the League’s Observer Corps – about what voters can ex...

Peninsula Pulse reporter Eleanor Corbin joins Debra Fitzgerald to discuss two controversial local stories: wakesurfing on Clark Lake and the new “Rock on the Rock” event at the former Leathem & Smith quarry. Wakesurfing has become a popular recreational sport, but not everyone believes it belongs on a shallow lake like Clark Lake. Meanwhile, neighbors have raised concerns about “Rock on the Ro...

The Door County League Baseball Season is in full swing, so Herb Gould joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about why Kolberg has climbed to the top of the league, the stories he keeps finding in the league and why it fascinates him so much. Gould, a former Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter, writes a weekly column about the league for the Peninsula Pulse and is working on a book about the history of ba...

The controversy over the Potawatomi State Park road reconstruction project has entered a new phase, with the nonprofit group, Potawatomi Advocates for Trees, Conservation and Heritage (PATCH), having filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The group is seeking to halt the project and alleging violations of state law, environmental review requirements and public plann...

In 2021 Kevin Wehrenberg and his family lived in Los Angeles, where he produced television shows like Fear Factor and Wipeout. By 2022 they were buying a nine-hole golf course in Egg Harbor and Wehrenberg was running a pub, dodging lightening strikes on the fairways, and making big plans for the little course. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to him about making his big life turn, life on the links, and...

Tick season is here, and this year it’s hitting harder and earlier than usual. Wisconsin is seeing double the ER visits for tick bites compared to last year, with Lyme disease incidences climbing. Debra Fitzgerald talks with epidemiologist Rebecca Osborn from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to break down what’s driving the surge, what diseases beyond Lyme you should know about, what to...

Fred Alley is one of the most influential creators the county has known. The writer, singer, actor and producer for American Folklore Theater helped build AFT into a cultural touchstone on the peninsula before he died in 2001 at just 38 years old. His childhood friend and collaborator, Jeff Herbst, joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his friend, their relationship, and the legacy he created i...

Peninsula Pulse founder and publisher Dave Eliot sits down with Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the 30th anniversary of the first issue of the Peninsula Pulse. Dave talks about the inspiration for the paper, early struggles, and the moment he thought it might all fall apart. For more on the history of the Pulse, explore these episodes: Story of the Pulse Part I>> Story of the Pulse Part I...

Help is finally on the way for Sturgeon Bay's deteriorating athletic fields on Michigan Street. City Administrator Josh Vanlieshout and Sturgeon Bay Superintendent Dan Tjernagel join Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the new joint master plan for the facilities and the unique funding mechanism created to start improving facilities there.

Shane McAdams of Milwaukee's Real Tinsel Gallery joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss why the Milwaukee resident put so much effort into raising the profile of Door County in the contemporary art world. This weekend, McAdams is back at PenArt with the Door County Contemporary Art Fair, and he explains what sets this apart from other art events on the peninsula.

Mike Bacsi and Myles Dannhausen Jr. love a good dive bar. But defining a dive isn't always easy (sometimes it is). Today they chat about what makes a great dive, and some of the best on the peninsula. Plus, Mike shares what he's looking forward to in this summer's slate of new restaurants. In it, we mention a previous podcast with James Larsen responding to online reviews. If you want to check tha...

First-time author Theresa Evans joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about her new memoir detailing the emotional journey of a mother-daughter relationship, exploring themes of reconciliation, healing, and end-of-life decisions. Evans walked side-by-side with her mother, a Canadian resident, when she chose to use Medical Assistance in Dying at the end of a long struggle with debilitating pain. Evans...

It's a big year for the Pulse, as Memorial Day Weekend marks 30 years since the first issue went to the presses on May 22, 1996. Myles Dannhausen Jr. recalls his first impressions of paper that it was and what it has become and points you to David Eliot's column about those humble beginnings. Plus, a quick look what's new in dining this year, and Myles shares 3 Things He Loves this week.

Debra Fitzgerald talks to Leslie Boden, a certified credit counselor and financial social worker, about the challenges local residents have managing finances. They discuss rising debt, credit card trends, financial crisis management, and the impact of cost-of-living on personal finances. The conversation covers a range of financial challenges faced by individuals, including housing costs, digital...

When the DNR started clearing a wide swath of trees for a road expansion in Potawatomi State Park, it shocked users - and for good reason. Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen to discuss the communication breakdown that left the DNR facing a backlash from local users. They discuss whether the road expansion was necessary, but mostly how the department continues to struggle to communicate goals...

Myles Dannhausen Jr. dives into the birth and evolution of the Door Kinetic Arts Festival (DCAF) with creator Eric Simonson, highlighting the challenges of communicating its essence and the impact of location on its significance. We also explores the festival's diverse and multidisciplinary arts, its community impact, and the process of artist selection and collaboration. Additionally, it emphasiz...

There will be a huge crowd in Peninsula State Park on Saturday for the Door County Half Marathon. Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Tim Kowols about the race that draws more than 2,700 people each year, including more than 40 who have joined him in running for a cause. But first, we catch up on the fight of Lucia Ramirez, a young girl from Sevastopol who is battling leukemia. Fernwood Gardens will hos...

Dan Rankin always knew he wanted to own his own business, he just didn't know what kind of business that would be. Then opportunity knocked – or more accurately, he knocked until opportunity opened the door. He joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about his journey from the shipyards to the head of Hi Tech Fabrication, where he was honored this week as the Emerging Business of the Year by the Door C...

Door County relies on 11 volunteer fire departments and dedicated emergency medical responders to answer the call in our scariest moments. Debra Fitzgerald talks to one of them – Sister Bay Liberty Grove Fire Chief Mike Goldstone – about the challenges and rewards that come with the job as a volunteer firefighter in rural Wisconsin. They discuss his journey to Sister Bay, the training required for...

Debra Fitzgerald talks with Wisconsin State Representative Joel Kitchens about the latest legislative session and what it means for local communities. They cover key accomplishments, education challenges, and environmental efforts, including PFAS legislation and what could still happen with Knowles-Nelson legislation. The conversation also touches on the state budget surplus, property tax relief,...

Newport State Park is the only dark-sky designated park in Wisconsin, but if light pollution continues to grow in the surrounding area, it may be hard to keep it that way. Debra Fitzgerald joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to discuss recent efforts to stop light pollution from encroaching on the park in northern Door County, and what individual property owners can do to help. Plus, they discuss why a bil...

The Door County Maritime Museum is celebrating a record-breaking year with a free community appreciation day and celebration on Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4. Sam Perlman joins Myles Dannhausen Jr. to talk about the growth of the museum and the hidden treasures available to explore within its walls this weekend and beyond.

Winter Storm Elsa was a historic experience for Door County residents this week, dropping 2-3-plus feet of snow on the peninsula. Debra Fitzgerald and Myles Dannhausen Jr. discuss how it hit residents and how the county responded – and how we're still digging out of the mess.

Artificial Intelligence is changing the world in ways that seemed unthinkable to most of us just a few years ago. With each week the advancements appear to be changing new aspects of our lives. To discuss the rapid advancement, Myles Dannhausen Jr. talks to Prof. Thomas Baer of Stanford University, who will be leading a seminar series at Björklunden about AI and its implications in June. They disc...