Door County Pulse Podcast

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 planning processes. Debra Fitzgerald talked with Dave Allen, PATCH executive director, about what’s changed on the ground at the park, the arguments being made by both supporters and opponents of the project and the legal claims at the center of the lawsuit that could decide the fate of the park’s north end.

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 do if you find a tick on yourself or your kids and a promising new vaccine that could be released as early as this year. Whether you’re hiking the peninsula, working in your yard, or just spending time outside this summer, Osborn provides essential information and advice.

Debra Fitzgerald talks with Vanessa McGowan, the New Zealand-born, classically trained bassist, band leader, and music-industry veteran whose career spans over two decades. A Baileys Harbor resident since 2020 via Nashville, Vanessa shares stories from her extensive touring experience, including working with Grammy-winning artists like Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles, Brandy Clark, and currently leading the band for multi-Grammy-winning Molly Tuttle. She also gives listeners a behind-the-scenes look at life as both musician and manager – on stage, on TV shows, on the tour bus, and reflecting on lessons learned since first landing in Nashville. Photo by Eli Spotts.

The tables are turned in this episode, when Annika Johnson interviews Myles Dannhausen Jr. about his journey from pizza tosser to reporter and many steps in between. Originally produced for the Al Johnson's YouTube series Door County Girl, this episode features two people who grew up in businesses at the feet of their parents and includes a look at life growing up here, the restaurant life, and why all politicians should have to bartend.