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#235 Rita Beebe, Home Town Hero

(Airdate: January 9, 2024) Maryanne interviews Rita Beebe, a 7th generation Port Townsend native. As one of nine kids, Rita realized she’d have to figure out how to pay for college largely by herself. So she joined the military with an eye on the GI bill. The University of Washington came next.  Both Rita and her husband ended up at the Dept. of Defense. Their first foreign posting was Korea and they arrived with three toddlers in tow and one on the way. Interestingly, child care was  excellent — allowing Rita to run all of the base’s youth programs. Later their posting took them to Germany and they soon they added two more kids to their brood. Once again, Rita was in charge of a complex web of youth programs and sports teams. Childcare in Germany exceeded all childcare options back home! Rotation back to the USA came as the kids were nearing high school age. They opted to move back home to PT but money was tight. So the hometown girl got a hometown job — at the mill. She was soon one of the exceedingly rare women — a 5’3” woman working alongside the guys on the floor of the mill. No office job for Rita!

DASH (Disability Awareness Starts Here)

(Airdate: January 18. 2024) Missy Nielsen speaks with Pat Teal, president of the nonprofit DASH (Disability Awareness Starts Here) about the invaluable services this organization provides to our community, from resourcing individuals with accessibility map guides to advising on improving accessibility at local businesses at no cost to the community. Listen in to learn about updates and ongoing projects.

Community Tides ~ 1/02/24

Hosts Chris Bricker and Siobhan Canty, President & CEO of Jefferson Community Foundation, visit with Dick Schneider, who lovingly tends to orphan orchids at Raincoast Farms, a magical place tucked away among fir, hemlock and old growth cedars, just minutes from Port Townsend. In two greenhouses, Dick has a collection of unique species of tropical plants and selected hybrid orchids. Once he rehabilitates donated orchids to flower and health, he re-homes them to Jefferson Healthcare. In Part Two of this week’s segment, Chris visits with Dylan Quarles, a young Port Townsend Writer who caught the eye of the team of Industry film folk who have chosen our town as the birthplace of the Port Townsend Film Studio. Dylan tells us about his young writer’s journey and his present project—a screenplay adaptation of one of his stories.

Chimacum, Downtown and Beyond, part 2

(Airdate: January 8, 2024) Back to downtown Chimacum we go for more on what has been spinning around the agricultural hub of Jefferson County. Joining host Phil Andrus are Katy McCoy and Phil Vogelzang, owners of the Chimacum Corner Farmstand and now owners of the property on which it resides; Sarah Spaeth, Director, Conservation & Strategic Partnerships of the Jefferson Land Trust, co-developer of the concept of Chimacum Commons; and Ben Wilson of Olympic Housing Trust, on plans for workforce housing in Chimacum Commons.

County Connections

(Airdate: January 5, 2024) Jim Burke and co-host County Commissioner Greg Brotherton welcome Cindy Brooks, The Director of EDC Team Jefferson. The Economic Development Council is competing to gain a large grant for the North Olympic Peninsula (Clallam and Jefferson Counties and local tribes) from the Federal Government under The RECOMPETE Act. The grant would help EDC create a pilot program to help address underemployment in 25-54 age range. The Program is designed to help remove “barriers to employment.”

Booklovers’ Cafe – Teresa Janssen, The Ways of Water

(Airdate: January 2, 2023) Cris Wilson discusses The Ways of Water, a first novel with long time Port Townsend resident, Teresa Janssen. The story builds on family lore and deep research telling the life of a young girl in the early 20th Century, living in the hard scrabble desert of the American Southwest. The story flows with twists and turns, devastating yet hopeful and determined. It is full of rich sensory images and emotional and descriptive language. Too often in history the lives of the humble and especially the women are left untold.  Teresa has remedied this oversight with a terrific book for everyone!

Brewocracy Now ~ 1/04/24

Taylor Clark and co-host John Mauro talked with Port Townsend Director of Public Works Steve King as we looked down the line at planned maintenance for our extensive sewer system and what that might mean for service rates.

#652 A New Year’s Reading List

(Airdate: January 3, 2024) Nature Now hosts Debaran Kelso, Nan Evans, and Jackie Canterbury have a good time sharing their favorite recent natural history books. Join the fun and start your 2024 “to read” list. And, if listeners want to add their favorites, drop the team an email at [email protected].

County Public Health Report ~ 1/02/24

Public Health Officer for Jefferson and Clallam Counties, Dr. Allison Berry gave a public health report to the Jefferson Board of County Commissioners on January 2, 2024. Also along was Jefferson County Director of Emergency Management Willie Bence. Dr. Berry mentioned that there is a surge going on of COVID-19, especially of the latest variant: JN-1. Gatherings and events around the holidays contributed to the surge, and she said there are also more cases of Influenza and RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and now strep. She said that a sore throat with a fever, without hoarseness and loss of voice are the hallmarks of strep. Because strep is a bacterial infection antibiotics are indicated, so getting a throat swab at the doctor’s office is needed. She also said that if a parent suspects their child has any of these maladies that calling the doctor’s office in the middle of the night is possible and a good idea. In answer to a listener’s question about deer being carriers of COVID, for most people keeping your distance from deer would keep you safe. You will get Covid by being exposed to people who have Covid-19. Hunters should mask and wear gloves while dressing their prey. Willie Bence spoke about the mild winter we have had so far, which is likely to continue and that the Warming Center in the Pope Marine Building in downtown Port Townsend is open every day. He also spoke about the NIXLE Alert service, a voluntary free subscription service which can provide warnings in the event of emergencies and extreme traffic delays on major routes of more than a half an hour. You can sign up on the Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management website.

Poet Laureate of P.T.

(Airdate: January 1, 2024) Jim Burke spoke with Connor Bouchard-Roberts who is the first poet laureate of Port Townsend, and Lindsey Wayland, Chairperson of the Port Townsend Arts Commission, about the Poet Laureate program and how it came to be. Both Connor and Lindsey read Poems during the program which demonstrated how poetry can provoke and inspire.

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