Rhythm Connection, airing Tuesdays from 1-3pm, transports listeners to cultures around the world, through incredibly diverse music from the African diaspora. Since its 1993 inception in Alaska, Robert has presented fresh music every week to make you dance or bring you solace, or both. Email Robert.
(Airdate: September 20, 2022) Maryanne McNellis interviews Dr. Liza Mathias, who runs Uptown Dental in PT. She’s a true local, born and raised here. She was torn between art and science when she was in college. After a few years in dead-end, entry-level jobs in Seattle, a friend suggested dentistry might be her answer. Among those she consulted for career advice was Dr. Steven Scharf, her dentist since she was 3 years old. He was extremely enthusiastic. In fact, when she graduated from dental school he wanted her to join him in practice in Port Townsend. A few years later she bought him out – becoming the only female running a dental practice here. Dr. Mathias sees dentistry as the perfect union of art and science. She can be positively lyrical about shaping a crown just right. She views each mouth as an artistic challenge. Sculptors sometimes say they can see the shape that can emerge from inside a block of stone. This dentist believes in the potential beauty in the shapes and fit of teeth.
(Airdate: September 19, 2022) Frank Redmon, Quilcene School Superintendent, and Quilcene community members describe to Phil Andrus the failure of the school bond and how the community is responding.
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.
During today’s County Commissioner Covid update, Health Officer Dr. Allison Berry, said, “the news is positive.” In Jefferson, COVID-19 case rates are flat at 324/100,000. Positivity is downtrending to 8.5%, with a case ascertainment rate of about 50%. There’s been a dramatic drop off in wastewater surveillance in Port Townsend, down about 75% in July, and last month down about 20%. No one is hospitalized for COVID-19 locally. One death occurred last week, a woman in her 80s with multiple chronic conditions who was fully vaccinated but not boosted.
Dr. Berry urges anyone over 65 to get the Omicron-specific booster. She notes it’s the same base formulation for the vaccine, but the target is different. It’s specifically targeted to BA.4 and BA.5 which are the current circulating variants. “Unlike the other boosters that have come before, this one really promises to prevent symptomatic disease as a whole, not just prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death,” she said. Jefferson has a limited supply of the vaccine, but should be getting more within the text month. “If you are over 65, if you are immunosuppressed, or if you are a healthcare worker or a first responder – primarily because we take care of those folks at high risk – we recommend you get vaccinated in this first round,” Dr. Berry said. “For everyone else in our community, we strongly recommend you get vaccinated, too. But we’d really encourage you to hold on for about a month so that we can get these highest risk folks vaccinated first.” Mass vaccination booster clinics were previously announced but available appointments are already filled. Options include Jefferson Healthcare and local pharmacies. You can also put your name on a wait-list via the Jefferson County Public Health website.
Dr. Berry clarified some misinformation about the Omicron specific booster: “There’s some misinformation circulating saying that there weren’t safety trials for the Omicron-specific booster and that’s not true,” Dr. Berry said. “This vaccine is the same one that we’ve been using this whole time. So all of the safety trials related to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines also apply to the Omicron specific booster. The only change is the target. So the most similar analogy I could share is that when we vaccinate for the flu every year, we change the target every year to whatever variants are circulating in the world.” She continued, “But we don’t do a whole new round of safety trials every fall prior to rolling out the flu vaccine because the base vaccine is the same. So that’s why you’re not seeing a new round of safety trials. It’s not not normal to do when the base vaccine is the same and the target is different. So it’s just targeting the Omicron variants as opposed to the wild type theory.”
The State of Emergency that was put in place by Governor Jay Inslee will end October 31. Dr. Berry reported that many of the orders related to COVID-19 have already expired or have been revoked, with only a few remaining concerning emergency credentialing. “The one order that is not expiring is the requirement for masks in healthcare settings,” Dr. Berry explained. “So as long term care facility, certain correctional settings and all healthcare facilities, you can expect your providers will still be masked in those settings and you will be expected to wear a mask as well.”
Dr. Berry said there were no reported cases of Monkeypox (MPV) in Jefferson County and one in Clallam County. In the state, 497 cases have been diagnosed; nationwide there are over 21,000 cases. Jefferson has the Jynneos vaccine and is vaccinating now. Anyone can get MPV. Vaccine eligibility has been extended to include those who have had an STI in the last year, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, and anyone who has injected drugs in the last few months.
Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence said our degraded air quality is improving rapidly here in Jefferson County as the wind has shifted to an onshore flow. A large fire near Stevens Pass combined with a small brush fire locally at the intersection of 104 and 101 led to the unhealthy air. Bence also referenced the 3.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred Thursday morning on the Toandos Peninsula. He requested that those who felt it be “citizen scientists” and complete the “Did You Feel It?“ questionnaire for the USGS.
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.
Community Tides comes to you twice each month, with co-hosts Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty, president and CEO of Jefferson Community Foundation. We join special guests to discuss fresh ideas, new developments and new paradigms as we travel into the months ahead. Chris and Siobhan met with musician extraordinaire Paul Rogers for a special visit. Rogers explained why he’s bringing Those Darn Accordions and special musical guests back, SQUEAZIN’ FOR A REASON at Finnriver on September 24 and 25. Paul’s the epitome of what our community’s style of fundraising looks like! Why should we be surprised? We had so much fun with Paul, we thought we’d bring him back again on the eve of this special fundraising weekend that benefits the Community Wellness Project and Ukraine relief efforts.
For a compendium of upcoming featured programs, check out Spotlight for September 16-30. 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.
Today on Brewocracy Now co-hosts Missy Nielsen and City Manager John Mauro discussed a variety of topics including: the construction of the water treatment plant improvements and the groundbreaking for phase 1 of the Point Hudson jetty replacement.
(September 15, 2022) Chickens on the Brain – Sorting out our intimate relationship with the chicken industrial complex.
(Airdate: September 14, 2022) Danielle McClelland started as the new PT Film Festival Executive Director on January 1, 2022. The first in-person PT Film Festival in 3 years starts September 22. It is centered, as always, on Taylor Street between Washington and Water Streets. Danielle talked with Larry Stein about the film line-up, the special guests featured in this year’s festival, and some of the films that stand out to her. Listeners will hear Danielle’s enthusiasm for film, festivals, and our community.
