The next Southern Oregon Climate Action Now monthly general meeting will be a presentation by Siskiyou Velo President, Harlan Bittner, and board member Gary Shaff offering a concise overview of the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ Designing for All Ages and Abilities. The “All Ages and Abilities” design shifts the paradigm of bicycling from the […]
As my two young sons finished their respective sport seasons this year, I reflected back to my own involvement in different organizations as a child and a thought occurred to me. I no longer play baseball or football. My body and my talents were nowhere near enough for me to be a professional or collegiate […]
A total of eleven metal sculptures by Jacksonville artist Cheryl D. Garcia will be placed in Cantrall Buckley park over the next 2 ½ years, creating Southern Oregon’s first sculpture park. Visitors will experience sculptures of local flora and fauna including a variety of larger-than-life birds, and a gigantic Mock Orange, Shooting Star and a […]
Jville Market owner Ken Snoke and manager Martha Hess welcome everyone to the 2018 season of the Jville Market, opening Sunday, May 27th at 9:00am.
Market days will run 9:00am to 1:30pm and feature live music from 11:30am to 1:00pm, with a wide variety of Rogue Valley talent sharing their tunes. You’ll enjoy 70 booths on […]
We want to ask our neighbors to take their yard trimmings and debris to the “D” Street parking lot adjacent to the Jacksonville Public Works yard, adjacent to the Library and accessed off of “C” Street.
This should be a great […]
Climate activists keep telling us that Southern Oregon is warming, that the snowpack is dwindling, and that water shortages and droughts are likely to become more commonplace. Meanwhile, others tell us there’s nothing happening and we don’t need to worry or take action. So, what do the data tell us? Who is correct?
Fortunately, through its […]
Voter Registration Deadline Approaching – Primary Election
The voter registration deadline for the May 15, 2018, Primary Election is April 24, 2018, for people registering to vote in Oregon for the first time or for those that want to change party affiliation.
If you are currently registered to vote in the state of Oregon, but have moved, […]
Whether we like to ski, hike, bike, boat, fish, hunt, camp, photograph, drink the water, breath the air, or just hang out, for many Southern Oregonians our precious environment is the region’s greatest treasure. But nature and humanity present challenges to the environment we value.
Many of us are concerned about one or more of the […]
For many years we have been comforted in knowing that if we ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ much of what we used to consider waste could be saved. Recycling seemed a great way to relieve us of the burden of over-consumption. Yet, in the Rogue Valley, our Consumption accounts for over 40% of the greenhouse gas emissions […]
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program educates and trains volunteers in team organization, light search and rescue, fire safety, first aid, CPR, proper radio protocol, traffic control, and disaster medical operations to better assist professional agencies (fire, police) with the hazards that may result from disasters that impact their area of responsibility.
In 1985, the […]
Have you ever envisioned yourself getting lost on a hike and wondering what you could eat? Are you curious about what kinds of local medicinal herbs are right under your nose? If so, join Lauren Kemple and Rhonda Brown for an exploration through Jacksonville and the surrounding Woodlands to learn about edible and medicinal plants […]
MEDFORD, OR—The Jackson County Cultural Coalition has awarded $31,124 in grants to 18 local non-profit organizations for 2018 projects and activities that support and promote arts, heritage and humanities in Jackson County.
JCCC grant funding will underwrite programs that include arts education, reading programs for young children, heritage and history programs, and more. Many of these […]
Yes, we can solve the global warming crisis! This is the message of Paul Hawken’s Drawdown Project (drawdown.org). What’s more, the solutions involve win-win programs that reduce climate pollution while providing other benefits.
“Paul Hawken’s Drawdown: A springboard for individual and collective action” is the title of The Southern Oregon Climate Action Now January monthly meeting […]
An exhibit and documentary at the Jacksonville Public Library running January 9 – 31, 2018 attempts to answer those questions. In the display, more than 60 people, ranging in age from middle-schoolers to seniors voice their responses to our […]
MEDFORD, OR — In response to the recycling crisis brought on by China’s crackdown on imported recyclable materials from the US, Rogue Disposal & Recycling is offering local residents an opportunity to recycle a limited list of materials at public drop-off points. “We have found that […]
This fall and winter, before lighting your fireplace or wood stove, have it inspected and/or cleaned. Inspections should also include the chimney and flues, due to a possible buildup of dangerous creosote. Please also remember that wood logs and wood of any kind should never be burned in a gas-log fireplace.
Brick chimneys also require inspections […]
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) provide a powerful voice for abused and neglected children. In 2016, 178 CASA volunteers served as the voice for 628 children in situations of abuse and neglect in Jackson County. In an overburdened system, these children risk slipping through the cracks and suffering from further abuse. CASA volunteers […]
Every year, dozens of caring businesses in Jackson County participate in the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree Toy Drive program to brighten the lives of families here in the Rogue Valley. This year, more Rogue Valley businesses will participate in the program, collecting toys for 3000 Jackson County kids age 12 and under!
Thanks to your generosity, […]
Dan Bish struggles with what trees or native plants to stock and recommend in his Talent nursery business as summers get hotter. For farmworkers Maricela Ruelas and Juan Escareño, smoke has become a seasonal ordeal as they toil in the fields.
They are among a dozen Rogue Valley citizens who voice their concerns about climate change […]
What started out as a dream became reality this week as the Holmes Park House for Hospice Campaign raised more than $3 million of its $4 million fundraising goal. The Holmes Park House will be the first residential care facility in Southern Oregon to specialize in caring for hospice patients and their loved ones, providing […]
Breaking a long-time tradition since 1948, the Jacksonville Lions Club installed Jacksonville resident Jo Smith as their newest club member. According to club President Bill Hanlan, “It’s about time!”
Jo has long been a “Lion at Heart” volunteering at the Southern Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Center for 6 years as chairperson of the annual “Bling […]
Travel expert, Anne McAlpin suggested the original idea for a “pay-it-forward” scarf donation program. The program has been a huge success with more than 550 new and gently-used scarves being donated to the Scarves-for-Seniors program the past 3 years.
Jo Parker, owner of WillowCreek, says, “Our customers are amazing—because of their generosity, WillowCreek was able to […]
This summer’s fires that required evacuations so close to home are a stark reminder of our vulnerability here in Southern Oregon. With fires still smoldering into fall and anticipation of winter weather, this is time to check our plans for evacuation and sheltering in place. Even those of us who are tuned into Disaster Planning […]
The students of Jacksonville Elementary School ran hard on September 29th for the Jog-a-thon! We would love your support! The Jog-a-thon is the main fundraiser for the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The Jacksonville PTO raises and administers funds in order to provide additional educational benefits to all students. The PTO sponsors and promotes events such as the Harvest Carnival, […]
This September, the Jackson County Windermere Real Estate offices will spend a month making sure local children are kept warm. Starting September 25, the public will be able to make donations of new or gently-used child-sized coats to multiple drop-off locations. Windermere brokers, staff and owners will pick up the donations, take them to the […]
We want to thank everyone who supported the Jacksonville-Applegate Rotary Club’s recent Salmon Bake. As a result of your efforts, we raised over $10,000 to support Rotary’s clean water efforts. We recently completed a well for Maasai people in Tanzania, and next year, our club will be providing in-home water filters for villagers in Cabo […]
The Jacksonville Lions Club is seeking new members from the surrounding community—both men and women. The local club is a member of the Lions Club International, founded in 1917.
Since its formation in the Jacksonville area, the local club has become well-known for many of its community-minded, hands-on projects. The club currently meets on the 1st […]
In Southern Oregon, the famed Rogue River historically hosted massive runs of both chinook (king) and coho (silver) salmon. This makes Medford the perfect place for the unique, family-friendly Southern Oregon Smoked Salmon Festival, which celebrates the mouth-watering sapidity […]
Come visit the mansion of Harry Holmes, co-founder of Harry & David. You will learn how Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice (SOFOH) is repurposing this historic home into a 12-bed residence providing dignified end-of-life care for Rogue Valley hospice patients and their loved ones as Southern Oregon’s first home for hospice care. Tours hosted by […]
We know about the “Canary in the Coalmine,” but have you heard about “The Monarch in the Milkweed”? The next Southern Oregon Climate Action Now general meeting, marking our fifth Anniversary, will be held at Medford Public Library on Tuesday September 26, 2017 from 6:00pm-7:30pm. The program is free and open to the public.
Monarch butterflies […]
As the 2017 Citywide Yard Sale date nears it is important to remember that this event is not sponsored by the City of Jacksonville and there are public safety issues associated with this event. When our town becomes full of bargain hunters and treasure seekers there are areas where parking becomes an issue. Here are […]
If you were one of the several thousand Masai people living in Longido, Tanzania near the Serengeti Plain, your sources for water were seasonal ponds or open wells, most of which were shared with wild and domestic animals and […]
The last month has brought both good news and bad news for the construction of the Jacksonville Community Center. Following the groundbreaking last month, an observer walking or driving by the Jacksonville Community Center—Cedars on 4th—probably did not expect the construction activity to begin at the top of the […]
The entire community is invited to join Mayor Paul Becker in a July 4th celebration on the Courthouse lawn. The festivities will take place from noon-3:00pm. As in year’s past, plenty of seating and tables will be provided and the city will be serving complimentary hot dogs, water, chips, etc. Families are encourage to bring […]
Our forests and fisheries are at the mercy of the climate we create as we rush headlong towards a global warming that will cross the tipping point. Though farmers are familiar with variability in weather, agriculture is among the most climate-sensitive of human activities especially in terms of temperatures and water availability. Sensible living in […]
The Storytelling Guild Presents Their 51st Annual Children’s Festival at The Britt Grounds in Jacksonville from July 8-10, 2017. Sponsored by the Storytelling Guild of Jackson County, this innovative 3-day event will bring out the creativity of both the young and young at heart as it has for generations.
This “just for kids” event has served […]
MEDFORD, Ore. — May 19, 2017 — Windermere Van Vleet and Associates is getting a head start on Windermere Real Estate’s annual Community Service Day, held on June 9 this year. The local group is teaming up with ACCESS Food Bank to feed Jackson […]
On Tuesday, April 25, the Jacksonville Thrift and Collectibles Store in downtown Jacksonville presented a check for $153,200 to Rick Patsche, the President of the Jacksonville Community Center (JCC). The gift fulfills a longstanding pledge by the Jacksonville Seniors, Inc. group to help underwrite the construction of the new community center in Jacksonville. The Thrift […]
The popular one-day Living on Your Land and Tree School program, to be held April 22, 2017 at RCC Grants Pass, is now open for registration.
This event features 27 classes covering Native Plant Regeneration, Small Stream Salmon and Steelhead, Urban Homesteading, Native American Land Stewardship, Weed Management, Composting Techniques and a wealth of fun, informative […]
Southern Oregonians are coming together for a historic People’s Climate March for Climate, Jobs, and Justice on Saturday April 29th, 2017 at Pear Blossom Park in downtown Medford. It will be the largest event of its kind in our region’s history – and part of a national day of protest. Like the Women’s March, there […]
Jacksonville’s beloved mechanical mascot needs some help. After missing out on most of this past season due to mechanical problems, we are moving forward with replacing it.
We are working with the city to find an appropriate replacement. There is a chance we will have a temporary solution for this upcoming year […]
With the days feeling a bit longer and the temperatures getting warmer, there are noticeable changes outside. The white blossoms of the snowdrops have been replaced with the bright yellow daffodils. The trees are beginning to bud and breathe color into the wooded landscape. Birds are chattering as if there is much to do. New […]
We thought that the Jacksonville Community Center (JCC)—having raised nearly 95% of its $558,000 budget—would be able to announce an actual ground-breaking date, but it turns out that performing our due diligence will take several weeks longer. Building permits are being reviewed by the City as subcontractors are submitting bids […]
Jacksonville, Ore. March 2, 2017 – An Economic Vitality Roadmap meeting will be held on Thursday, March 2, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. at the Applegate Valley Fire Training Center, 1095 Upper Applegate Road. The meeting is open to the public and everyone who is passionate about helping Applegate Valley achieve economic vitality is encouraged to participate.
Through […]
JACKSON COUNTY OR – Become a Master Recycler in 2017! Jackson County Recycling Partnership is now seeking residents of Jackson County to take part in the annual training course and volunteer service program. Participants gain a broad understanding of home waste prevention strategies, the local solid waste infrastructure, hazardous waste avoidance, […]
Jacksonville's Chinese New Year Celebration Schedule of Events. Celebrating Family, Health, Culture and Community!
The Craterian Theater at the Collier Center, located at 23 S. Central in Downtown Medford, in cooperation with the Storytelling Guild, will present two FREE puppet show performances on Sunday, February 12 at 1:30pm and 4:00pm. Although admission is free, the donation of a gently-used children’s book is appreciated.
This “Beauty and the Beast” story set […]
Several weeks ago, I was chatting with Mayor Paul Becker about the cultural treasures we have here in historic Jacksonville. The mayor wondered out loud if those of us who have lived in Jacksonville for some time have perhaps become too accustomed to the scenic and historic values of our town to really appreciate what […]
You made it happen! The Jacksonville Community Center (JCC) recognizes that it takes a village to build a community center and the Board wants to extend its deepest gratitude and appreciation to the countless Jacksonville residents who over the past 15 years have contributed time, energy, money and expertise to […]
For health and environmental reasons, electric vehicles – including transit buses – are the wave of the future.
The Rogue Valley will welcome a demonstration of an electric bus next week. Electric buses are rapidly replacing the heavily polluting buses of the past. They drastically reduce the polluting emissions of a gas-powered bus. They are quiet […]