Podcasts

Community Tides ~ 10/07/22

It’s hard these days for our community not to become engaged in conversations about housing density and affordability. The conversations have become much more nuanced, and these days more than ever, there needs to be transparent, solutions-oriented dialogue. Joining KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and co-host Siobhan Canty, President & CEO of Jefferson Community Foundation, are 3 special guests: Jaisri Lingappa, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Global Health at UW Seattle and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity East Jefferson County and with the Housing Solutions Network; Emma Bolin, City of Port Townsend’s new Director of Planning & Community Development; and Liz Revord, Director of Housing Solutions Network. We explore what affordable housing, density, and equity mean in the light of the distribution of wealth,“market rate”, and the forces of gentrification and displacement.

Brewocracy Now with John Mauro ~ 10/06/22

Taylor Clark and John Mauro have a broad discussion with topics including the ADU tent meeting, the Evans Vista RFQ, Budget Process, and a question about lot sizes.

The Power of a Pen – Healthcare for All

(Airdate: October 4, 2022) Formed in November 2016, Whole Washington is a grassroots coalition of healthcare professionals and volunteers from all over Washington State endeavoring to put healthcare for all on our legislative docket. Join Missy Nielsen of Everybody Can as she discusses with Lori Bernstein and Linda Bradshaw the impact of collecting signatures, and expands upon the understanding that your signature is one of the most direct tools of democracy each of us has.

#209 Carol Hasse, PT Port Commissioner

(Airdate: October 4, 2022) Maryanne McNellis interviews Carol Hasse, PT Port Commissioner. Carol sailed into Point Hudson in the early 1970s with her commune on the boat they built. She was immediately smitten with the town and rather quickly moved here. She had grown up in a small town on the Columbia River. One year of college was enough to convince her that activism on global issues was her path. By the time she hit PT, she had traveled extensively – hitchhiking through 23 countries. Sailing was her passion, so she worked as crew on global adventures. Once here, Carol soon opened Hasse & Co, a sail loft in Point Hudson. She was one of the early forces behind the creation of both the Wooden Boat Festival and the Maritime Center. Over the years she has served on the board of both organizations. She sold her business to the Shipwright’s Coop in 2021. She’s now channeling her incredible energy into her position as Commissioner for the Port of PT. She wants to preserve our working waterfront and is determined to make it happen.

Nature Now #587
Hard Rock Geology in East Jefferson County, Part 1

(Airdate: October 4, 2022) Tamanowas Rock-What is it? Nan Evans explores significant rocky out-croppings in Eastern Jefferson County – Tamanowas Rock and Peregrine Rock just west of Chimacum – with geologists Michael Machette and Jeff Tepper. In Part 1, we learn how Tamanowas Rock was formed, what it can tell about the ancient landscape of our region, why it is important to indigenous peoples, and what is being done to protect it.

Food Bank

(Airdate: October 3, 2022) Jim Burke interviews Kathy Ryan of the Food Bank Growers and Shirley Moss, Manager of the Port Townsend Food Bank, about the Jefferson County Food Bank, local growers who provide fresh produce for the food bank, and the W.A.V.E. (what a Valuable Experience) fundraiser, on October 22nd.

County Public Health Report ~ 10/03/22

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 of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by Jim Burke, producer of KPTZ’s Tuesday’s Local News.

Dr. Berry said the national COVID-19 trends are mixed. Cases and hospitalizations are declining, but over 400 people are still dying every day across the US. The Northeast and the West coast are starting to see another rise in cases, and this includes Washington State where cases are up 11% overall, but especially among older patients in long-term care who are getting sick and being hospitalized due to COVID-19, on the east side of the state where vaccination, even in those facilities, is less common.

In Jefferson County, the two-week COVID-19 case rate is 460 per hundred thousand, a definite rise from last week and that keeps Jeffco in the high category. No one is currently hospitalized. 108 new cases were added this week for a total of 5,961 cases. Jefferson County’s total count of COVID-19-related deaths is still 31. Dr. Berry says the rise in cases is being driven by a rise in cases in schools at this point.

In Clallam County the two-week COVID-19 case-rate is 170 per hundred thousand, 59 new cases for a total of 15,636 cases since the pandemic began. 2 people are hospitalized at this time. Clallam County’s total count of COVID-19-related deaths is still 124. There has been only one detected case of MPV in Clallam County.

Everyone 12 and over who has had a booster shot more than two months ago is now eligible for the bivalent booster shot, and Dr. Berry says there is now ample supply. So now, even if you are not in a high-risk group you can and should seek out the bivalent booster.

Commissioner Eisenhour asked Dr. Berry what will happen on October 31, when the COVID-19 emergency declaration ends. Funding for Dr. Berry’s work will decrease dramatically, so in November the frequency of Public Health Briefings will go to once a month. If you have any lingering COVID-19 or monkeypox or any other public-health-related questions for Dr. Berry, you might want to send them in over the next four weeks.

Submit your Public Health questions to Dr. Allison Berry and to 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.

Brewocracy Now with John Mauro ~ 9/29/22

Today on Brewocracy Now, co-hosts Taylor Clark and City Manager John Mauro were joined by Emma Bolin, Port Townsend Director of Planning and Community Development. They discussed the upcoming “Under The Tent” housing discussion, as well as a report out on the recent planning conference that Emma attended.

County Public Health Report ~ 9/26/22

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 of Emergency Management, gave a report. The summary below was provided by and used with the permission of Jefferson County Government.

Public Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry today said that Jefferson’s case rates for COVID-19 are flat from last week, although two people are currently hospitalized. She reported that Omicron-specific boosters are widely available in our community, through vaccination clinics, local pharmacies, Safeway in Port Townsend, and Jefferson Healthcare. The vaccine is available to anyone 12 years and older,and if it’s been 2 months since your infection with COVID-19 or two months since your last vaccination.

There are still no documented cases of MPV in Jefferson County. Nationwide, there are more than 24,000 cases reported. Dr. Berry urges all those who have had multiple partners in the last year, or any gay or bisexual person who has sex with men regardless of one’s sexual history to be vaccinated. Public Health has the vaccine available – call them at 360-385-9400 or sign up online: https://tinyurl.com/mpvvaccinejeffco.

Flu season is here and Dr. Berry encourages you to get your flu shot which can be done at the same time you are getting the COVID-19 Omicron vaccine. She said masking goes a long way to reduce transmission of the flu, too and suggested that we should mask indoors to protect our vulnerable citizens. “The biggest thing that we can do to protect ourselves and our community as we move into the fall is to get vaccinated with our COVID-19 boosters and our flu shot,” Dr. Berry said. “That’s how we protect ourselves, our neighbors and our healthcare system as we move into the fall.”

Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence announced two new vax clinics using the Pfizer bivalent vaccine are scheduled for the community at Blue Heron Middle School in Port Townsend Saturday, October 1; and at Quilcene School on October 8. Call the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) or go to the Public Health website to sign up. DEM is considering adding more clinics late in October.

A Healthy Diet

(Airdate: September 26, 2022) Could it be that many of the world’s most dreaded diseases, from Alzheimer’s to cancer and heart disease, can be prevented or even cured by a simple change in diet? In this March 2016 Compass show, host Steve Evans talks to Dr. Sandra Poling, who tells us it could.