The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Jefferson and Clallam County Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry. Also Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.
(Airdate: February 28, 2022) This week on Attention Please! KPTZ host Steve Evans visits with four people who bubbled together during the pandemic to articulate the skeleton of a grey whale that died of starvation in 2019 for an educational display that will reside in one couple’s back yard.
A true community is one that looks after its own, because everyone needs a safe, decent, and stable place to live. For some of the most vulnerable people in our community – our brothers and sisters who suffer from chronic health conditions, trauma, mental illness, addiction, or just plain bad luck – a simple, secure, transitional space gives them a chance to catch their breath and regroup.
The Community Build Project is a dedicated band of volunteers who have now created a second wave of transitional living units (wooden “tents” or “tiny houses”) for our town ~ the self-contained village called Pat’s Place.
Videographer Dennis Daneau has documented the birth of Pat’s place, and KPTZ is proud to debut his video (above) for station listeners. Below is a recording of the February 25 “up close and personal” conversation between Dennis and KPTZ’s Chris Bricker, along with the Community Build’s Volunteer Coordinator, Debbi Steele.
For the February 24 Candlelight Concert live broadcast on KPTZ, Trinity United Methodist Church will host Jean Lenke in a concert titled All Women ~ All Jazz. This benefit concert for Dove House will feature Jazz vocalists Jean Lenke, Sarah Shea, and Ann Brittain, along with a stellar band under the direction of pianist-musician Linda Dowdell, Elaine Gardner Morales on bass, Angie Tabor on drums, and Marge Rose on trumpet. The all-women group will be highlighting early Jazz Standards written all or in part by women.
This will be a live concert with doors opening at 6:30pm and admittance is limited to 50 people. Personal ID and proof of vaccination will be required and masks will be mandatory. The concert will also be simulcast on KPTZ FM 91.9 and streamed live at www.trinityumcpt.org where you will find a link for the Candlelight Concerts and ways to donate.
Today on Brewocracy Now KPTZ host Tim Quackenbush and City Manager John Mauro were joined by Adam Zacks, founder of the THING music and arts festival, coning to Fort Worden on August 26-28. They discussed the event, its focus on the discovery and inclusion of non-white and women artists, and the effects of COVID-19 on the event planning process. More information is available at THINGNW.org.
(Reprise airdate: February 23, 2022) Nan Evans and Wendy Feltham talk about their experiences as naturalists during this strange last year of the pandemic – adjusting to stay-at-home orders, practicing social distancing, losing opportunities, discovering new ways of learning and sharing, finding new favorite places to explore in our own neighborhoods, and adapting to change. This show originally aired on March 3, 2021).
The following is a summary of the presentation during the Public Health briefings at this week’s Board of County Commissioners meeting made by Dr. Tom Locke. Willie Bence, Director, Director of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.
Deputy Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke this morning said COVID-19 cases continue to drop across the country and on the Olympic Peninsula. In Jefferson, there has been Omicron activity, but it is down 8% over the past two weeks, putting us at 618/100,000. ”This is a turning point in the pandemic,” Dr. Locke said, noting that now there is a transition from emergency containment mode to a more sustainable and less disruptive one. He noted WA State will be lifting its statewide masking mandate on March 21. Jefferson will lift its mandate at the same time. Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry earlier announced she will rescind the order requiring proof of vaccinations for restaurants and bars as of March 11. “We always will have some COVID-19 around at least for the next several years,” Dr. Locke admitted. “And it’ll occur in waves and really how it behaves will have a lot more to do with the virus than anything else. As we look to the future, not only are new variations or variants possible, they’re really to be expected. If we’ve learned anything from this last two waves, it’s to expect the unexpected.” Dr. Locke spoke about a new Omicron variant, BA2. Noting that it “is not a harmless subvariant,” health officials in Japan believe this strain is more transmissible than Omicron. Dr. Locke feels a wave of BA2 in this county will not occur.
Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Director Willie Bence said that the mass vax clinics that have been held for the past year have ended. If anyone is looking for a vaccine or other information, refer to the Jefferson County Public Health website or call DEM at 360-344-9791. He said most pharmacies have a supply of all of the vaccines. As for masks, Bence said K95 and KN95 masks have been pushed out the grocery stores, pharmacies, libraries, chambers, and all County food banks. Public Health also has them. For more information, call DEM.
Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and Willie Bence by emailing [email protected]. Note: The weekly deadline for these to be submitted is on Fridays at noon, to be answered at the following Monday’s BOCC meeting.
