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Through Science to Health ~ 12/11/20

Through Science to Health’s conversation between Lynn Sorensen, RN and Chris Bricker, KPTZ host included a select reiteration of Jefferson County’s Health Officer, Dr Tom Locke’s COVID-19 update to the BOCC on December 7, 2020, along with current COVID-19 vaccines soon to be available in the US. Lynn stressed that the vaccine roll out will be in stages starting with the frontline healthcare workers, first responders, and nursing home residents and their caregivers. Also that the vaccine will not take the place of masks or other hygiene measures until at least 70% of the US population is vaccinated.

Dr. Locke’s Advice for Our Community

Local case count by month and cumulatively since the pandemic began. This graph shows the number of COVID-19 infections reported in Jefferson County. There were 167 cases from March through November. Another 18 cases were reported through December 8, bringing the total to 185 as of that day.
Data source: Jefferson County Public Health Department website, graph created by KPTZ.*

The COVID-19 pandemic is steadily worsening throughout the U.S., including Washington state and Jefferson County. Exposure risk is likely to remain high for the next three to four months. People are tired of having their lives disrupted and are willing to take more and more risks. Activities like social gatherings that were low risk during the summer are now much more likely to result in COVID-19 transmission.

Dr. Locke’s advice is to try to forgo as much preventable risk as possible, including club meetings, social events, non-essential travel, and alike. We’re experiencing the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. It will almost certainly be worse than anything we’ve previously experienced. 

On a hopeful note, vaccines are on the verge of licensure and deployment. Vaccine supply will be very limited at first, but as winter gives way to spring supplies will improve and the end of this long public health emergency will finally be in sight.

– Dr. Tom Locke, Jefferson County Public Health Officer

*For current cumulative case count in Jefferson County, since December 8, visit the WADOH website.

Compass for 12/12/2020

What with all of the commotion around the Presidential race and the ongoing battle for control of the U.S. Senate, you can’t be blamed if you somehow missed what may turn out to be the most historic ballot measure passed in the 2020 General Election. That would, of course, be Oregon’s Measure 110, which dealt a death blow to the War on Drugs in that state by decriminalizing the possession of all drugs, while dedicating tax revenues from the sale of cannabis products to drug addiction rehabilitation services, thus moving substance abuse problems firmly into the realm of public health and out of the criminal justice system.

This week on the Compass we get the thoughts on the Oregon ballot measure of two local experts – Public Defender Richard Davies and Jefferson County Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke – on how society addresses drug abuse issues.

Update on KPTZ’s Fort Worden Home

Dear KPTZ friends,

This is a long overdue letter to let you know about progress in building KPTZ’s new home in Makers Square at Fort Worden – almost as overdue as construction itself! Yet before discussing our monumental project, I’d first like to say I hope you and yours are doing okay. Our lives have been turned upside down by the pandemic, compounded by social and political upheaval, and I think all of us are feeling challenged.

The development of our new home at Fort Worden has been a complex and complicated process. When COVID-19 shut nearly everything down last March, it also shut down all construction at Fort Worden’s Makers Square for three months. Very little work had been done on our space by then – just some rough framing of studios. When construction resumed in June, Fort Worden was a different place. The collapse of the hospitality industry due to the virus crippled the Fort Worden PDA, our building partner in the Makers Square project.

Yet our new home is taking shape quickly now, and we expect a certificate of occupancy by the end of December. It is very exciting seeing KPTZ’s new home emerging!

Click here to read the entire message

Brewocracy Now with John Mauro ~ 12/10

On today’s Brewocracy Now, City Manager John Mauro and Host Tim Quackenbush discussed:

  • The upcoming ICG meeting
  • Discovery Road Design
  • Negotiation with Uber
  • Gustafson Apartments Development Proposal
  • Adams Street Closure

Aquatic Invasive Species

(First airdate: December 9, 2020) The European green crab is considered one of the world’s worst invasive species. Emily Grason and Jeff Adams are both experts in aquatic invasive species and as marine ecologists with the UW College of the Environment and Washington Sea Grant, they oversee a comprehensive program focused on early detection, monitoring and control of the green crab. Learn more about this invasive crab and what is being done to keep the crab out of Puget Sound.

Note: The repeat episode is rescheduled to air Tuesday 12/22 at 5:30pm (preempting Bioneers that day).

Nature Now #492
Pinto Abalone, part 2

(First airdate: December 9, 2020) Nan Evans explores some of the work being done to restore the ecological health of the Salish Sea. Betsy Peabody, Founder and Executive Director of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, paints a broad picture of marine stewardship in the Salish Sea as she shares both the passion and the work of ecological restoration. Ali Redmond shares the work being done at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center to recover endangered Pinto Abalone populations. And Dana Africa tells her story of being an abalone foster parent and enthused advocate for all things marine.

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