Today’s County Public Health Briefings began with a song encouraging masking, performed by Commission Chair Greg Brotherton. Dr. Locke shared updates on the need for and efficacy of face coverings, in recommending ways to “crush the curve” for which modeling recommends 95% masking compliance. He also looked at potential plans for opening schools in our area, with final determinations still not made. DEM Director Willie Bence spoke about masking enforcement.
(First airdate: August 5, 2020) Cris and Jennifer AKA Nicole Person talk about her new novel Keep Me Afloat set right here in Port Townsend. While completely fictional, readers will recognize hangouts from Chimacum to Uptown, your favorite coffee shop and Art gallery, as well as all our happenings. The characters span generations and their relationships will touch your heart.
In April of 2015, a church group from Tumwater set out in seven kayaks for a day paddle on Dungeness Bay. After lunch, a predicted 35 mph wind kicked up with three-foot seas, and three of the kayakers overturned. At that time of year, water temperature averages in the high 40 degrees. While all three were eventually rescued, each had spent about two hours in the water. Two of the three died while receiving medical attention. None of them had been wearing clothing and gear suitable for cold water immersion.
This year on July 12, a 31-year-old kayaker capsized in Port Angeles Harbor near the City Pier. He was not wearing a personal flotation device (PFD). At rescue, the man was extremely hypothermic, unresponsive, and near death.
On Monday, July 13, a 31 year-old man failed to return from a paddle from Freshwater Bay to Ediz Hook. Only his kayak was found, along with an unworn PFD.
In light of recent events, KPTZ’s Mermaid Keri introduces you to a timely reprise of our Compass Kayak Safety Special produced after the Dungeness incident in 2015.
(Airdate: July 24, 2020) Louie and Selena of Louie’s World talk about Karaoke during a pandemic.
Today’s Through Science to Health conversation between Lynn Sorensen, RN and Chris Bricker, KPTZ host, touched on many topics: the local and national numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths in the U.S.; the rapidly increasing rate of confirmed cases from 3 million to 4 million in the past 15 days; travel advisories with 14-day quarantine rules now in place in states with fewer COVID-19 cases for travelers from ‘hot spot’ states, Washington state included; vaccine development and eventual access to a COVID-19 vaccine; who will get it and who can afford to get it; and the question of how schools will re-open this academic year, virtually or in person.
Port Townsend City Manager John Mauro is on KPTZ with a web-based format, in a weekly time slot Thursdays, from 12:10 to 12:40pm. Discovery Road DJ host Tim Quackenbush hosts John’s virtual online meeting as a live broadcast, with updates on the fast-changing local world in and around Port Townsend.
Topics covered included: the City Manager’s six-month review, the contract with the Port, recycling policies, and the ad hoc committee on public safety and policing.
Stay tuned for the weekly chance to learn more about developments for the City of Port Townsend. John will take questions and encourage productive dialogue (and exemplary virtual meeting etiquette) to steer through a range of topics.
(First airdate: July 22, 2020) Carrie Garrison-Laney is a tsunami hazards specialist with Washington Sea Grant, based out of the University of Washington where she researches past tsunami deposits found around the Puget Sound. Her work includes identifying paleo-tsunami deposits and determining their age using carbon dating. Learn facts about tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest, both past and future.
(Airdate: July 29, 2020) In the second of a set of conversations about the native trees of the Quimper Peninsula, Nan Evans and Erik Kingfisher spend an afternoon in the field looking for and talking about the broad leaf trees – both the deciduous ones and the evergreen broad leafs.
