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It’s that time of year when all residents of the Olympic Peninsula come out of winter hibernation. The sun starts shining and the rhododendrons and lilacs are in bloom.The third week of May hosts the local, grass-roots, week-long festival, The Rhododendron Festival, often nick-named “Rhody.” It’s a celebration for all who currently live in Port Townsend and Jefferson County, as well as those who have ever lived here. It is a festival not for tourists, but for each other. The Rhody Festival, in its nearly 90-year history has never fully been interrupted, with the exception of COVID-19. Rhody has been on pause for two years, but now it is back. There are new faces in town, folks who have never experienced Rhody. Welcome! What makes the festival special is the participation by residents. There are trike races, bed races, a pet parade, Kiddie parade, Grand Parade, hair and beard contest, a golf tournament, and a 10K run and more! Plus KPTZ’s News Bulletin board Attention Please hosts a Rhody Special Monday May 16, airing at noon and 5:00pm.

Jefferson County saw 268 cases in April 2022, more than twice as many as March. In fact, it was the 4th highest monthly total seen we’ve had during the entire pandemic. Moreover, our two-week case rate was 584 per 100,000 people as of May 10. That’s almost three times the “high risk” level, defined as 200 per 100,000. For the most current case rate, go the County Health Department’s online risk calculator at https://jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/1429/COVID-19. About half of all new cases recorded in Jefferson County are from people who took a home test and reported it to the health department. You can report a test result at the link above. Masks are no longer required in Jefferson county except for medical facilities, congregate care housing, and a few other instances. However, our Health Officer, Dr. Allison Berry, strongly recommends wearing masks in all indoor public spaces. And please, if you have symptoms, get tested right away and take precautions so you don’t infect anyone else, especially people who are immuno-compromised.