wisconsin: Fish Boil or Fish Fry? Which Do You Prefer?
- 04/29/08 06:06 AM
In northern Wisconsin, the "fish on Fridays" tradition at restaurants is alive and well.
I used to spend summers in Door County, Wisconsin, where the Fish Boil was a veritable institution. I recall many summer nights at the Viking Grill in Ellison Bay, Wisconsin, watching the "master boiler" perform the overboil at the end of the cooking process, waitstaff serving big chunks of freshly-cooked whitefish and trout, along with the Door County cherry pie for dessert!
In the Apostle Islands area, the fish boil tradition was a bit less commonplace, but after spending a few years searching for fish boils, I found Greunke's in Bayfield, which serves an … (17 comments)
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wisconsin: Gardening on Madeline Island Can Be a Challenge, But It's Worth The Effort
- 04/29/08 05:01 AM
One of my clients asked me about the feasibility of having a vegetable garden, with maybe a few flowers, on Madeline Island.
I could write a book on the subject. Maybe I should.
The good news is, La Pointe Township is in USDA Hardiness Zone 5. That means you'll have a longer growing season than nearby Hayward, Wisconsin. The reason for the isolated Zone 5 classification is the moderating influence of being surrounded by Lake Superior. Once the water warms up in spring and summer, it holds thermal energy and the prevailing winds from the west and south cause a … (0 comments)
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wisconsin: Big Top Chautauqua Gala Fundraiser May 17 at AmericInn, Ashland, Wisconsin
- 04/23/08 05:48 AM
On May 17, the Big Top Chautauqua 2008 Gala Fundraiser will take place at the Ashland AmericInn. The Gala features a "Vintage Railroad Dinner", with entertainment by Warren Nelson and the Blue Canvas Orchestra.
The theme of this year's Gala will be the railroad era of the late 1800s and 1900s. There will be a "Whistle Stop" prize drawing, with one hundred prizes already donated.
Tickets to the Gala may be purchased online at the Big Top Chautauqua website.
Only 51 days left until the Big Top opens its 2008 season!
Summer show ticket booklet saves you $20!
Four … (2 comments)
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wisconsin: Ashland, Wisconsin Receives EPA Study Grant
- 04/20/08 12:54 AM
Ashland, Wisconsin has received a $200,000 grant to evaluate sites that contain potentially hazardous substances. The grant was awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency last week.
Ashland is one of seven Wisconsin communities to receive such a grant from EPA. The city plans to use the funds to evaluate a handful of key sites, including the Clarkson coal dock. An earlier assessment of the same area revealed contamination by coal dust, oil residues and wood treatment chemicals.
The city of Ashland is taking steps to reclaim its waterfront from many decades of industrial use. The lure of tourism has done much to spur City and County … (4 comments)
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wisconsin: You May Have Nicer Weather, But We Have WATER!
- 04/17/08 06:34 PM
I heard a Wisconsin politician comment on television last week that "The Great Lakes are not the world's drinking fountain".
Will the states and provinces bordering the Great Lakes become comparable to OPEC in the future?
Four states and two Canadian provinces have so far ratified the Great Lakes Compact, a treaty which was created to prevent arid southwestern states from draining the Great Lakes in order to solve their own water problems. Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and New York have signed the treaty, as well as the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Now Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle wants the State legislature to … (27 comments)
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wisconsin: Aftermath of Lake Superior Storm Friday Leaves Trees Down in Washburn, Wisconsin
- 04/13/08 05:57 AM
My friend (and ActiveRain member) Mike Arnao called me today to fill me in on the aftermath of the west Lake Superior storm which finally ended yesterday.
Mike told me that mature pines and hardwoods were down in Washburn, Wisconsin. In some cases, trees were snapped off by high winds. Street signs were down as well and debris from the windstorm was strewn around parts of town.
Madeline Island and the mainland town of Mellen received the most snow. Both locales received fifteen inches of wet, heavy snow during the course of the storm.
The Madeline Island Ferry Line shut down Friday for … (2 comments)
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wisconsin: High Winds and Waves Force Shutdown of Madeline Island Ferry Line Yesterday
- 04/12/08 03:18 PM
The late winter storm that struck the Duluth and Superior area and spread across western Lake Superior yesterday forced the shutdown of the Madeline Island Ferry Line for a day.
The Ferry Line office in LaPointe, Wisconsin announced it would be shutting down all day on April 11th due to heavy snow, whiteout visibility, high winds and dangerous waves. Regular ferry service resumed today.
The Ferry Line doesn't shut down very often. When high winds and waves become a problem, the ferry has been known to suspend service for a period of several hours at a time. The duration of yesterday's storm … (2 comments)
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wisconsin: Ice Road Video: Experience a Trip Across Two Miles Of Frozen Lake Superior
- 04/11/08 02:18 PM
My friend John Lindquist was kind enough to send me a link to his YouTube video of a March 8 trip across the ice between Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island.
The movie provides a behind-the-wheel view of what it's like to drive the ice road to Madeline Island. I've received many comments from visitors to my blog about what it's like to travel the legendary ice road across part of Lake Superior in midwinter. Once you've watched John's video, you'll feel like a seasoned veteran ice driver!
The video illustrates what you can do with a dashboard camera and a little ingenuity. John commented,
"My … (6 comments)
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wisconsin: Madeline Island Ferry Line Resumes Trip Schedule
- 04/09/08 08:27 AM
The Madeline Island Ferry's Running Again!
On Monday April 7, the Madeline Island Ferry Line resumed its trip schedule between Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island. The ferry line website reports that it took the "Island Queen" just over an hour on Sunday the 6th to break a path in the ice between La Pointe and Bayfield.
The Ferry Line also reports that it has invoked a fuel surcharge to the rates published on their website and in the printed ferry schedule. This surcharge is due to sharp increases in diesel fuel costs since last summer.
The current abbreviated ferry schedule provides for eight trips a day, with the 7:30 … (4 comments)
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wisconsin: Ferry Season is Coming to Madeline Island – Coast Guard to Break Ice Next Week
- 04/05/08 12:33 AM
The Duluth News Tribune reported today that the U. S. Coast Guard plans to operate ice breaking craft in the south channel of Chequamegon bay next week, on Monday or Tuesday. They plan to open the channel for ferry crossings between Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island.
Once the channel is open, the Madeline Island Ferry line will undertake its first trips of the 2008 season, probably by mid-week.
There was a near-tragedy on the ice near Red Cliff (just north of Bayfield) yesterday afternoon. It was reported that two fishermen on an ATV broke through the ice and they spent approximately … (2 comments)
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wisconsin: Kerr Gallery in Bayfield Has a Dockside Webcam With View of the Ferry Dock & Lake Superior
- 04/05/08 12:27 AM
For Lake Superior enthusiasts, this is pretty neat!
The Kerr Studio & Gallery in Bayfield, Wisconsin now has an online webcam with two views of the "big lake":
http://www.kerrart.com/bayfieldwisconsa.html
The webcam view clearly shows the Madeline Island Ferry dock in Bayfield, Wisconsin, with a view of the Boutin-Mahan terminal building on one cam and the Bayfield City Dock (with Basswood Island in the background) on the other.
You'll need a Java plug-in to view the cam site. The Kerr Gallery is located at 21 Front Street in Bayfield. Artist Brian Kerr sculpted the "Memorial to the Commercial Fisherman" which graces Bayfield harbor.
… (2 comments)
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wisconsin: Market Report: Chequamegon Bay Region of Northwestern Wisconsin Mostly Spared From Foreclosures
- 04/04/08 06:17 AM
The Chequamegon Bay area, including Madeline Island (Town of La Pointe), Bayfield, Washburn and Ashland is, for the most part, not suffering from foreclosures.
Last week, I spoke with Rick Geisen, a bank officer at Bremer Bank in Washburn, Wisconsin. Geissen reported that Bremer is not seeing foreclosures at present. He credited the bank's conservative approach to lending for the bank's good record in this area.
At present, there are no reported foreclosures in progress in La Pointe, Bayfield or Washburn, Wisconsin. Ashland has five pending bank foreclosures. All but one are priced at under $70,000. The fifth is priced at $106,900.
… (1 comments)
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wisconsin: Gillman, Fischlowitz Take Town Board Seats in Close La Pointe, Wisconsin Election
- 04/04/08 05:01 AM
Candidates Ric Gillman and Alan Fischlowitz took two open seats on the Town of La Pointe Board of Supervisors in last Tuesday's election. Gillman received 96 votes and Fischlowitz received 92 votes. Fischlowitz was formerly the Town Zoning Administrator in the late 1990s.
Incumbent Town Board member Hamilton Ross received 88 votes. Candidate Holly Tourdot received 57 votes. There were six votes for write-in candidates, equally split between Mike North and Doug Griggs.
Madeline Island voters also chose to keep both the Town Treasurer and Town Clerk as elected positions.
… (2 comments)
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wisconsin: Fire Destroys Good Thyme Bistro & Catering in Washburn, Wisconsin
- 04/04/08 04:45 AM
On March 19th the Good Thyme Restaurant in Washburn, Wisconsin, was completely destroyed by fire. Owner Renee Holman lived above the restaurant and lost all her personal possessions, despite prompt action by the Washburn Fire Department. Adjacent businesses were spared, thanks to the efforts of those who responded.
Good Thyme has been an annual participant in the Madeline Island Chamber of Commerce-sponsored "Chequamegon Chefs Exhibition". Good Thyme employed a significant number of Washburn residents.
A relief fund has been established at Bremer Bank to assist Renee in recovering from this loss.
Donations may be made by by visiting the Good Thyme/Holman … (1 comments)
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wisconsin: Brzezinski Defeats Blakely in Washburn, Wisconsin Mayoral Election
- 04/03/08 12:48 PM
Challenger Ralph Brzezinski easily defeated incumbent Washburn Mayor Irene Blakely on Tuesday.
Brzezinski's campaign centered on economic development and bringing jobs to the area. Blakely was seen by some voters as being anti-development and anti-business. Her opponent won the election by a margin of 157 votes, out of a total of 905 votes cast in the spring election.
Blakely is credited with the adoption of a resolution making Washburn an eco-municipality. During her two terms in office, she presided over the completion of Washburn's comprehensive plan.
The new mayor has his work cut out for him. Washburn voters also rejected a school referendum request on Tuesday, … (0 comments)
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wisconsin: Vehicle Traffic to Ice Caves Suspended at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- 03/26/08 04:27 PM
Due to deterioration of the shoreline approach resulting from warm weather, the Park Service has suspended vehicle traffic access to the Ice Caves at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
While there is no longer access to the ice caves by vehicle permitted, foot traffic is still allowed. There is a $3.00 daily parking fee at the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore parking area (Meyers Beach) for ice caves visitors. Meyers Beach is located eighteen miles west of Bayfield, Wisconsin, off Highway 13.
Check out this article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel online, by Dennis McCann, about the ice caves at Myers Beach.
For information … (6 comments)
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wisconsin: Madeline Island Visitors - Ice Road Begins to Deteriorate Due to Warmer Temperatures
- 03/12/08 04:34 PM
This evening, I had intended to drive across the ice between Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island. Things didn't turn out exactly as I had planned.
Temperatures in the mid- to upper 30s and rain have begun taking their toll on the ice road that connects La Pointe and Bayfield. When I reached the Bayfield approach this evening at around nine o'clock, the sandy approach was slushy and there was a sizable pool of water standing on the ice close to shore.
Not surprisingly, longer mid-March days and warmer daytime temperatures usually signal the end of ice road season is approaching. The weather forecast … (12 comments)
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wisconsin: What Will $4 A Gallon Gasoline Do To The Vacation Home Market?
- 02/28/08 12:18 PM
If you’re a real estate agent, do you sell second homes? At what point will high gasoline prices hurt your business?How far do your clients drive to get to their weekend retreat, summer home or cabin?
Photo above: Weekend vacationers cross Lake Superior aboard the ferry Island Queen.
Crude oil prices topped $100 per barrel today. Industry experts are warning of $4 per gallon gasoline by summer.
My own clients from Minneapolis and Saint Paul drive three and a half to four hours, one-way, to get to the south shore of Lake Superior (Bayfield, Wisconsin area, including Madeline Island). That's a … (53 comments)
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wisconsin: 2008 Birkebeiner Cross-Country Ski Race Was A Huge Success!
- 02/25/08 02:15 PM
The 2008 Subaru American Birkebeiner Cross-country ski race is history. And this year there was enough snow to make the whole thing worthwhile!
The Birkebeiner ski race starts near Telemark Lodge, just outside of Cable, Wisconsin and the finish line is in Hayward, Wisconsin. The 51-kilometer trail is carefully groomed and maintained by the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation.
Some past years, ski conditions have not been as good for the Birkebeiner race. In 2000, the weather was so warm that the race had to be cancelled only two days before it was scheduled. That was the only cancellation in the Birkie's thirty-five year history.
The 2008 winner of the … (4 comments)
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wisconsin: We Have an Ice Road to Madeline Island - But Call the Hotline Before Using It !!!
- 02/13/08 04:58 AM
Here's the latest on the status of the Ice Road between Bayfield, Wisconsin and Madeline Island..
An Ice Road between the mainland and the Island was plowed and marked last weekend. According to my friend Mike Arnao, cars are now using the ice road. Mike drove it this morning to and from the Island and he reports the ice road was in good driving condition this morning.
Photo above: Windsled "Ice Angel IV" ready for Madeline Island passengers. Note radar dome atop the vehicle.
My advice would be to check with the Ice Road Hotline before crossing the two miles … (34 comments)
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In northern Wisconsin, the "fish on Fridays" tradition at restaurants is alive and well.
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