(First airdate: January 15, 2019) BRENDA WILDCAT: A MOTHER’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Brenda Wildcat, the mother of a transgender child. Brenda survived a childhood in foster care, with multiple moves and schools. By the age of 21 she was a single mother with two kids to support. The brutal custody fights over her son culminated in her getting custody when he was 12 year old. He grew up,  married and had a child of his own before coming out. A reality television show on TLC has documented his transition from male to female, including multiple surgeries. Brenda has struggled with questions. But, in the end, a mother’s love led to her acceptance if her child and the difficult decisions made.

(First airdate: December 18, 2018) DANIEL KNUDSON – FEASTING ON SEVEN FISHES. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Daniel Knudson, chef and resident cooking guru at Key City Fish. Daniel recounts his adventures through various Port Townsend restaurants – including the “paranormal” (or ghost) sightings that are common at venues such as the Manresa Castle. For this holiday season, Daniel explores the Southern Italian tradition of the Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve. We live in a seaport, so even if we are not all Italian we can try to cook like one (with Daniel’s recipes, of course)!

(First airdate: December 4, 2018) LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Mauricio Cisneros, the owner of the San Juan Taqueria. Mauricio first came to the USA from Mexico as a teenage migrant worker. He started his culinary career as a bus boy in Sequim’s first Mexican restaurant. He slowly worked his way up the ladder and along the way became an American citizen. Many people know Mauricio as the owner of El Serape and Nifty Fifties in downtown Port Townsend. But he’s now the owner of the San Juan Taqueria near Kala Point. Despite the constant scramble for good staff, Mauricio loves the restaurant biz – he’s a people person who loves catering to his customers.

(First airdate: November 20, 2018) BUILDING SANDWICHES & DREAMS. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Mike Howell, the enthusiastic owner of Howell’s Sandwich shop. He’s a Chicago boy who followed his girlfriend (now wife) to Port Townsend. She had a job, he didn’t. After checking things out, he decided the vacant space Jordini’s once occupied was perfect for a Chicago-style sandwich shop. The walls are covered in old family pictures. One shows a very young Mike in a toy plane in front of a hanger at Howell’s Airport, once owned by his grandfather. Mike has big plans for Howell’s.

(First airdate: November 6, 2018) KELLY BARLOW: SOOTHING SPIRITS AS WELL AS SORE BACKS. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Kelly Barlow, one of Port Townsend’s talented massage therapists. She’s a local girl – once upon a time she was even a cheerleader for the football team at Port Townsend High School. Over the years she built a thriving practice while raising her sons as a single mom. Like all great massage therapists, she listens to her clients. Stories get told behind the closed door of her tranquil salon. It’s as confidential as a confessional. She often ends up soothing spirits as well as tense muscles.

(First airdate: October 23, 2018) JIM WALKOWSKI: FIGHTING FIRES & SAVING LIVES. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Jim Walkowski, the Chief of East Jefferson Fire & Rescue. Those blaring sirens and flashing lights mean that our brave men & women are off to help citizens in need. But few realize that about 80% of the calls in Jefferson County are medical calls. Our aging demographics present unique challenges to the fire department. The department’s thinly staffed and badly in need of both more funds and more volunteers. Perhaps you should consider helping out!

(First airdate: October 9, 2018) CARLYN STARK: A SAILOR WITH A PASSION FOR SCHOONERS. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Carlyn Kaiser Stark, Emerita on the Board of the Maritime Center & the Wooden Boat Foundation. Carlyn was instrumental in bringing the 100-year-old schooner “The Martha” to Puget Sound from San Francisco. Her father, industrialist Edgar Kaiser, purchased the ship for his daughter and she brought it to the Four Winds Camp on Orcas Island. Carlyn was a camper there as a girl, then ran the place for years. As a token of appreciation the Camp (which is now a foundation) later named its huge sailing ship “The Carlyn” after her. Today school kids from Seattle to Orcas Island learn about the sea aboard “The Carlyn”.

(First airdate: September 25, 2018) ANITA SCHMUCKER: 100 KIDS & A BANKING CAREER. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Anita Schmucker, manager of the Port Hadlock Branch of First Security Bank. Anita switched from waitressing to banking and is excelling – she’s worked her way up the ladder to be branch manager. Along the way, Anita and her retired firefighter husband Andy have fostered around 100 kids. She’s passionate about children’s causes and works constantly to try to see that no kid slips between the cracks. She brings that same passion and enthusiasm to her bank. According to Anita, excellent customer service is the key to her career success.

(First airdate: September 11, 2018) CREATING A NICHE BY BOILING BAGELS. Our Town Host Maryanne McNellis interviews Mike Garling, the owner of Metro Bagels. After visiting 22 states in their Honda, Mike and his wife discovered their dream home on the Olympic Peninsula. But jobs like the one he had back at the Chicago Board of Trade are scarce out here. So he created a business plan for a bagel business. The local investment group, LION, was duly impressed. He’s now paid back their loan and Metro Bagels has locations in both Port Hadlock and Port Townsend. Not everyone sits and grumbles about their dead-end job. Determination and hard work can pay off.

(First airdate: August 28, 2018) KIM RAFFERTY: FROM HIPPIE TO PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE. Our Town host Maryanne McNellis interviews Kim Rafferty, a nurse with Jefferson County Public Health. Once upon a time Kim lived in the proverbial hippie commune in California. But reason prevailed. She ended up becoming a nurse. She’s run group homes for mentally challenged seniors and run clinics on Orcas Island. Today she’s the public health nurse who provides foot care to seniors and disabled all around the county.