On Monday, March 23 at 9:45am, Vicki Kirkpatrick, Jefferson County Public Health Director, and Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management provided public updates during the County Commissioners’ weekly meeting about COVID-19 and our county’s preparedness.
KPTZ broadcast via 91.9FM and streamed at KPTZ.org this timely COVID-19 information, which was also videostreamed live and recorded for online viewing any time thereafter at the Jefferson County website.
(Original airdate: March 13, 2020) Phil Andrus hosts presenters who had planned to share their stories at this year’s cancelled event: Joyce Gustafson and Allison Demmert, along with program planners Chrissy McLean and Kelley Watson, and Helena Taylor-Lund, current participant in the Girl’s Boat Project.
Tossed Salad host Phil Andrus spoke with KPTZ Virus Watch Team members Lynn Sorensen and Kathleen Keenan, both of whom are Port Townsend residents experienced in Public Health service related to contagious diseases. The half-hour conversation addressed information responding to concerns many are expressing since local-area COVID-19 cases have been announced. The segment will be a regular feature at 1pm on upcoming Fridays, to start the weekly Tossed Salad mix.
On Thursday, March 19 KPTZ aired a joint meeting at City Hall of the Port Townsend City Council and the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners for their COVID-19 strategy meeting. This informative meeting featured speakers including Dr. Tom Locke of Jefferson County Public Health, Willie Bence of Jefferson County’s Emergency Operations Center, Siobhan Canty on behalf of Jefferson Community Foundation, PT Main Street, Local Investing Opportunities Network (LION), and the Port of Port Townsend. There were other speakers and comments read from our local citizenry.
(Airdate: March 19, 2020) Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro holds his weekly coffee meeting with the public with KPTZ’s Tim Quackenbush, host of Discovery Road. Mayor Michelle Sandoval participates as well, to share information about the local plans being formulated in the upcoming days ahead.
(Airdate: March 16, 2020) Dr. Tom Locke, Public Health Officer for Jefferson County and Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management provide public updates during the County Commissioners’ weekly meeting about COVID-19 and our county’s preparedness.
On Monday, March 16 at 9:45am, Dr. Tom Locke, Public Health Officer for Jefferson County and Willie Bence, Director of Emergency Management provided public updates during the County Commissioners’ weekly meeting about COVID-19 and our county’s preparedness.
KPTZ broadcast via 91.9FM and streamed at KPTZ.org this timely COVID-19 information, which was also videostreamed live and recorded for online viewing any time thereafter at the Jefferson County website.
Commissioner meetings to include Dr. Locke’s COVID-19 updates are scheduled to happen at this same time Mondays over the coming weeks. These are opportunities for all local government, members of the public, and businesses to tune at 9:45am to hear accurate public health information on COVID-19 from our Public Health Officer; and from Willie Bence on how the County is preparing both now and for the future.
(Airdate: March 27, 2020) US Rep. Derek Kilmer discusses the federal role in the COVID-19 battle.
KPTZ’s role is to provide reliable information about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in our community. We are on top of developing news in order to relay public health advisories, as well as keeping you informed about closures and event cancellations.
Last week the KPTZ Virus Watch Team was formed. Our volunteer staff are in continuous communication with Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson Healthcare, and the Jefferson Department of Emergency Management. We are actively seeking and monitoring information from our area and beyond.
Reporter and member of KPTZ’s Virus Watch Team Charlie Bermant will continue reporting on his noon Local News on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Charlie issued a special newscast report today, Saturday, which can be read TRANSCRIPT HERE or heard below.
In the coming week we will begin to share short on-air Coronavirus-related updates during live programs, between 8am and 5pm. Other ideas for the station to be responsive to community needs are being considered.
KPTZ will continue broadcasting! In the effort to do so while protecting our volunteers and staff, as well as the public, the station will be closed until further notice. If you wish to contact us, the best way is by email to [email protected], and we will do our best to respond.
KPTZ has convened a Virus Emergency Response Team which is working closely with our News Department to keep the local public informed with fast-breaking updates about the new potentially lethal Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease.
KPTZ Update on COVID-19 and Jefferson County
(updated March 9)
This week’s KPTZ Compass, available online at the KPTZ.org website, features an in-depth interview with Jefferson County Public Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke on preparations for what he believes is the inevitable spread of the disease on the Olympic Peninsula.
The KPTZ Virus Response Team is in continuous communication with Jefferson County Public Health, Jefferson Healthcare, and the Jefferson Dept of Emergency Management, and is monitoring information from other sources for information specific to our area. Here are the most recent developments:
Out of an abundance of caution to protect our most medically vulnerable community members, please avoid unnecessary visits to the hospital, including the cafeteria, until further notice.
