For a compendium of upcoming featured programs, check KPTZ Spotlight for March 1-15. Many of our program hosts provide specifics about what’s planned for this half month. If you’re not already a Spotlight subscriber, you’re invited to join our Mailing List. See KPTZ’s current Weekly On-Air Schedule and Daily Program Schedule.
For a compendium of upcoming featured programs, check KPTZ Spotlight for March 16-31. Many of our program hosts provide specifics about what’s planned for this half month. If you’re not already a Spotlight subscriber, you’re invited to join our Mailing List. See KPTZ’s current Weekly On-Air Schedule and Daily Program Schedule.
Join KPTZ and Rainshadow Recording in welcoming traditional Irish musicians Gerry O’Connor and Don Penzien to the Palindrome in Port Townsend on Friday, March 20 at 7:30pm. Regarded as one of the great fiddle players of his generation, O’Connor has won numerous All Ireland titles for his music. He also has a background in step dancing, which translates into the vibrant, pulsating music he is known for. Don Penzien is also a well known performer of traditional Irish music. Brought to you by KPTZ, you won’t want to miss out on this vibrant evening of music!
(Airdate: March 13, 2026) This week for our Three Day Fund Drive we have co-hosts Jim Burke and Commisioner Greg Brotherton welcome EJFR Chief Bret Black, Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence, and Cynthia Toop, the Climate Resilience Project manager from the Hoh Tribe. Cynthia talks about the herculean task of moving an entire community up the hill away from flood danger. Willie Bence talks about being ready for any emergency, And chief Black talked about making your own home fire safer from wildfire danger. Listeners can subscribe to NIXLE ALERTS for the county by texting JEFFCODEM to 888777 for timely updates in the event of a local or county-wide emergency. The Connectivity Summit is coming up on March 27, 28 and 29 at Fort Worden Commons and the Fairgrounds, and the all-County Preparedness Day at Finn River on June 27. Details at: www.theproductionalliance.org/. THE EJFR Pancake Breakfast is Saturday, April 18. Click here for details.
KPTZ’s Taylor Clark and PT City Manager John Mauro discussed various forms of resilience. We took questions about the police personnel and also about the strong mayor form of government.
(Airdate: March 10, 2026) Maryanne interviews A.J. Feit, the Navigator for the Port Townsend Police Department. A navigator is a trained mental health professional. A.J.’s role is to help recognize those in the middle of a mental breakdown and hopefully find programs or counselors who can help. It’s another way to try to help keep those suffering from mental issues out of jail. A.J. has a Master’s Degree from USC (University of Southern California). He has worked for several Pacific Northwest institutions including the VA, the Jamestown tribe, and Jefferson Healthcare. He’s been both a social worker and therapist. It’s a tough job. He admits that some individuals decline all assistance — but he tries his best to help.
In August 2025, as he had done for decades, beloved fisherman Joel Kawahara set out from his hometown of Quilcene for the fishing grounds. After a few weeks, Joel’’s commercial fishing troller Karolee was found adrift without Joel aboard. In his passing, Joel Kowahara has become the renewed catalyst for Bernie’s vision to come true. Thanks to the Port of Port Townsend, Kiwanis, the Port Townsend Foundry, and community donations from you, the memorial’s completion date will be around August of this year and ready for our 2026 Wooden Boat Festival. The sight of the memorial will be at the entrance to the Point Hudson jetty boardwalk. This month, we’ll reprise our 2025 radio special about Bernie Arthur’s dream, and in Joel’s honor, the April 2022 Boatyard interview we did with Kowahara along side his Karolee.
(Airdate: March 9, 2026) KPTZ’s Taylor Clark was joined by Centrum Executive Directory Rob Birman and they discussed Centrum’s new long-term lease with State Parks, capital fund raising efforts, and planned improvements to the buildings on the Fort Worden Campus such as the Wheeler Theater and the McCurdy Pavilion.
