Who? Who? WHO? – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – March 2024

CARTOONIST DAVID SIPRESS NAILED IT with his recent illustration in the The New Yorker, titled “Two Baby Boomers Watch the Grammys.”

Two old geezers (Hey, that’s us!) sit on a sofa in front of their telly, watching the festivities. The individual thought bubbles above their heads read, “Who?” “Who?” “Who?” And […]

THE MOST EFFECTIVE HOME RENOVATIONS TO INCREASE YOUR HOME’S VALUE – by Sandy J. Brown

On Real Estate & More – March 2024

WHETHER YOU’RE THINKING OF SELLING in the next six months or a few years down the road, remodeling with return on your investment in mind is a smart financial move. Few investments recoup more than 100% of their cost, but collectively, there are several inexpensive home improvements that […]

By |2024-03-11T18:22:30-07:00March 5th, 2024|Featured Stories, Sandy J. Brown|0 Comments

FEBRUARY CITY COUNCIL SESSIONS – compiled by Whitman Parker

City Snapshot – March 2024

DURING PUBLIC COMMENT at the February 6 City Council meeting, Belita Palu-ay announced that she had been appointed as the Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce and will be working with Julie Baker who will run the Visitor Information Center. Belita will also continue in her role as Associate Editor […]

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS – by Erich & Matt Patten

On Money & More – March 2024

IF THERE IS ONE THING that keeps our clients up at night, it is the question, “What will my health care costs be in retirement?” Of course, the answer to this question depends on the health and longevity of each individual client, but we can use actuarial estimates to […]

ACCOLADES AND AWARDS – by Mayor Donna Bowen

A Few Minutes with the Mayor – March 2024

JANUARY 14, 2024, brought a well-received event to Jacksonville, in the form of Chamber Music when Jacksonville Oregon Friends of Classical Music presented  the first of three world-class winter chamber music performances scheduled this year. It was former Mayor Paul Becker’s dream to bring musical performances to […]

NEWS FROM THE SILENT CITY ON THE HILL – by Dick Meyers

Jacksonville Review – March 2024

ONCE AGAIN, I’m happy to report that we’ve come through another cold, dark and (mercifully) wet winter and, depending on when you read this, spring is either here or about to be!

With Easter coming a bit early this year, we’ve scheduled the Friends’ Spring Cemetery Clean-Up for Saturday, March 16th, just […]

By |2024-03-01T18:44:43-08:00March 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|0 Comments

A PATH PAVED BY ANONYMOUS – by Abby McKee

News from Britt Hill – March 2024

MARCH IS WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH! This year, the Britt Festival Orchestra is proud to present several extraordinary women on our stage. I’m grateful to live in a time and place when orchestras are finally taking note of the many women who have performed and created extraordinary works for orchestra. […]

By |2024-03-01T18:38:42-08:00March 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, News From Britt Hill|0 Comments

MARRIED WOMEN: EMBRACING SOLO TRAVEL – by Jamie Collins

Find Your Elsewhere – March 2024

AS A RESTAURANT OWNER, I have the privilege of conversing with several individuals, including married couples. My other business, Elsewhere Travel, often comes up in these discussions, leading to a topic that I find quite interesting—the differing travel preferences between spouses.

In my conversations, I have noticed […]

By |2024-03-01T07:24:26-08:00March 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Find Your Elsewhere|0 Comments

EASY EGG FOO YOUNG & SMASHED ASIAN CUKE SALAD – by Erika Bishop

Easy Recipes from the Pot Rack – February 2024

Egg Foo Young has been a popular item on Chinese menus in America since the mid-1800’s yet some have argued that it’s really not a Chinese creation at all. Well, that’s just crazy talk because history tells us otherwise and our little town of Jacksonville might have […]

By |2024-02-14T19:35:15-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Pot Rack Easy Recipes|Comments Off on EASY EGG FOO YOUNG & SMASHED ASIAN CUKE SALAD – by Erika Bishop

WHAT’S IN A NOSE? “MAESTRO” – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – February 2024

WHEN WE HEARD that actor/writer/director Bradley Cooper was planning a bio-pic about Leonard Bernstein, we were stoked. Bernstein stands as perhaps America’s greatest conductor/composer, listed historically and globally among icons such as Mozart and Beethoven. As for Cooper, we praised his abilities in this column in 2018, for his work […]

By |2024-02-14T19:35:04-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on WHAT’S IN A NOSE? “MAESTRO” – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

OUR WOODLAND LANDSCAPES – by Clayton Gillette

Trail Talk – February 2024

THERE’S BEEN SOME CHANGES to our woodland landscapes near Jacksonville. A couple of major fuels reduction projects have rendered our nearby hillsides more open, and hopefully, less prone to catastrophic wildland fire. Too much vegetation removed? Too little? It depends on whom you ask.

Southern Oregon is a landscape shaped by fire. […]

By |2024-02-14T19:34:48-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Trail Talk|Comments Off on OUR WOODLAND LANDSCAPES – by Clayton Gillette

THE HEART OF SUCCESS – by Kate Ingram

Soul Matters – February 2024

FOR BEING SO COLD AND BLEAK, February is a pretty darned happy month. There’s the lunar new year with its celebration of new beginnings and opportunities for success, and Valentine’s Day, stirring thoughts of the heart (it also stirs groundhogs, but I’d like to focus on the heart; if you love […]

By |2024-02-14T19:34:39-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on THE HEART OF SUCCESS – by Kate Ingram

OREGON’S CLIMATE & HOUSING CONCERNS LEADS TO MAJOR TRANSPORTATION REFORMS – by Sandy J. Brown

On Real Estate & More – February 2024

OREGON’S WORK TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CONCERNS has been in progress for over a decade, starting with the establishment of greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by the legislature in 2007. In the State of Oregon, the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions is from transportation. To help reduce greenhouse […]

By |2024-02-01T17:00:42-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Sandy J. Brown|Comments Off on OREGON’S CLIMATE & HOUSING CONCERNS LEADS TO MAJOR TRANSPORTATION REFORMS – by Sandy J. Brown

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON? – by Erich & Matt Patten

On Money & More – February 2024

AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR, we can’t help but ask if 2024 will be the year that everything finally feels “normal” for investors. Stocks and bonds have been trying to escape the shadow of the pandemic, but lingering inflation has been a reminder of the lasting impacts of […]

By |2024-02-01T16:52:00-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, On Money and More|Comments Off on WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON? – by Erich & Matt Patten

NEWS FROM THE SILENT CITY ON THE HILL – by Dick Meyers

Jacksonville Review – February 2024

2023 REPORT CARD & LOOKING AHEAD—We hope you enjoyed the holiday season and found some quiet time to reflect on what’s right in our increasingly hectic world. For the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery (FOJHC), the past year was one of transition, and we’re grateful that, with the help of our […]

By |2024-02-01T18:17:35-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|Comments Off on NEWS FROM THE SILENT CITY ON THE HILL – by Dick Meyers

STATE OF THE CITY / FEBRUARY 2024 – by Mayor Donna Bowen

A Few Minutes with the Mayor – February 2024

WELCOME TO 2024 EVERYONE. It’s always a bittersweet moment saying goodbye to the old year and welcoming the new. We are another year older, but hopefully starting the next twelve months fresh and renewed. 2023 was a quiet, but a busy year. I would like to briefly […]

By |2024-02-01T16:34:38-08:00February 1st, 2024|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories|Comments Off on STATE OF THE CITY / FEBRUARY 2024 – by Mayor Donna Bowen

SPECIAL COLLECTION SHOWING IN FEBRUARY – by Mike Gantenbein

State of the Art Presence Art Center – February 2024

GREETINGS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ART PRESENCE, Jacksonville’s own nonprofit art center! I’d like to introduce myself as the new column composer and board member for the gallery: I’m Mike Gantenbein. Many readers may know me from my years as the marketing director for Britt, […]

By |2024-02-01T16:29:55-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, State of Art Presence|Comments Off on SPECIAL COLLECTION SHOWING IN FEBRUARY – by Mike Gantenbein

BRITT’S WARMING UP! – by Abby McKee

News from Britt Hill – February 2024

IT’S FEBRUARY! The days are getting longer, and there’s plenty of news to share from the Britt hill.

You might have noticed that we’ve been announcing shows in a different way this year. After talking with plenty of you about the desire to organize […]

By |2024-02-01T15:14:44-08:00February 1st, 2024|Featured Stories, News From Britt Hill|Comments Off on BRITT’S WARMING UP! – by Abby McKee

Respect Trail Closures – by Clayton Gillette

Trail Talk – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

As this is written, our Grayback Forestry crews continue the fuels reduction work in Forest Park. The contracted work will continue well into the winter, and visitors to the park are expected to respect all trail closures. The closure of trails is necessary for public safety as well as the […]

By |2023-12-27T09:24:40-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Trail Talk|Comments Off on Respect Trail Closures – by Clayton Gillette

News from the Silent City on the Hill – by Dick Meyers

Jacksonville Review – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

After Mountain Iron Works recently put the finishing touches on the installation of custom iron fencing to replace the original surround of the Pape/Prim block (Masonic 273) that had been stolen, some new details came to light. First, while the Friends of Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery contract with Mountain specified a […]

By |2023-12-27T09:24:28-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|Comments Off on News from the Silent City on the Hill – by Dick Meyers

Apple-licious Pastry Roses plus a Caramel Apple Martini – by Erika Bishop

Easy Recipes from the Pot Rack – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

If you’re the kind of host who likes to serve your guests something special but you don’t have the time required to spend hours in the kitchen, this fabulous, easy dessert is for you! It looks stunning but doesn’t require a pastry chefs degree. And the […]

By |2023-12-13T13:23:19-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Pot Rack Easy Recipes|Comments Off on Apple-licious Pastry Roses plus a Caramel Apple Martini – by Erika Bishop

Happy Holidays from Britt! – by Abby McKee

News from Britt Hill – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

I can’t believe it’s the holiday season already! Wasn’t it just summer on the Britt hill? Yet here we are in the season of gratitude, giving, and—if your traditions are anything like mine—eating.

There’s so much on my list to be grateful for: this extraordinary community, our beautiful venue, […]

By |2023-12-13T13:22:58-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, News From Britt Hill|Comments Off on Happy Holidays from Britt! – by Abby McKee

Jacksonville 2.0 – by Graham Farran

Let’s Talk Real Estate – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

Jacksonville has seen many changes since the pandemic and we’re about to see more. While other cities have emerged from the pandemic weaker, with the loss of residents, retailers and restaurants, Jacksonville has emerged intact, stronger, and more desirable to both locals and tourists alike. Jacksonville is changing […]

By |2023-12-13T13:22:43-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Let's Talk Real Estate|Comments Off on Jacksonville 2.0 – by Graham Farran

Out of the Darkness – by Kate Ingram

Soul Matters – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

Winter is arrived, wrapping us in deepest darkness. The sun sits suspended on an invisible threshold, its solstice marking both an end and a beginning, a tipping point. The power, the crisis of this moment, was keenly felt by our ancestors. The myths and ritual celebrations surrounding the return of […]

By |2023-12-13T13:21:42-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on Out of the Darkness – by Kate Ingram

My Amazing Mom – by Christopher Kranenburg

Christopher’s Angle – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

My mother, Amy Todd Kranenburg, is amazing. This month, I want to share just a few examples of why my mother is such an important part of my life. If you have not already been into the Happy Alpaca toy store on California Street, my mom’s toy store in Jacksonville, […]

By |2023-11-29T18:14:07-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories|Comments Off on My Amazing Mom – by Christopher Kranenburg

Winter Holidays in Jacksonville – by Mayor Donna Bowen

A Few Minutes with the Mayor – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

I love this time of the year in Jacksonville. We have enjoyed our beautiful show of fall leaf color from our deciduous trees, fire danger season is past, and I’m looking forward to enjoying the winter holiday season with family and friends.

The City of Jacksonville has […]

By |2023-11-29T14:31:38-08:00November 29th, 2023|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Winter Holidays in Jacksonville – by Mayor Donna Bowen

Bands On Film – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

We have good news and bad news.  Or, more accurately, good news and sad news.

We’re wildly happy that Jacksonville is home to the Britt Music and Arts Festival, and felt thrilled throughout the recent season as Executive Director Abby McKee handily demonstrated her prowess at the helm. Yet there’s […]

By |2023-11-29T14:16:16-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on Bands On Film – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

Holiday Art Happenings – by Paula Bandy

State of the Art Presence Art Center – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

Winter is the time when there is a hush of solitude…whisperings of a winter mind. The weather is cold, the ground hard, bears hibernate, and the natural world has pulled in for a winter’s nap. The season of chill and darkness is upon us and […]

By |2023-11-29T14:09:22-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, State of Art Presence|Comments Off on Holiday Art Happenings – by Paula Bandy

2024 Market Predictions – by Sandy J. Brown

On Real Estate & More – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

By now, everyone knows that the demand for housing has been in a slump as homebuyers wait, hoping the market will become more affordable. Home prices are still near all-time highs, and recently the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit a 23-year high. Despite this, there are […]

By |2023-11-29T14:44:23-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, Sandy J. Brown|Comments Off on 2024 Market Predictions – by Sandy J. Brown

Roth Conversions Could Help Minimize Lifetime Taxes – by Erich & Matt Patten

On Money & More – Dec 2023/Jan 2024

Taxes are something that are always on investor’s minds. With record-high fiscal deficits and the “sunsetting” of the Trump tax cuts after 2025, a lot of people have raised concerns that their future tax rates will be going up. Last month we tackled the subject of gifting and […]

By |2023-11-29T14:39:33-08:00November 29th, 2023|Featured Stories, On Money and More|Comments Off on Roth Conversions Could Help Minimize Lifetime Taxes – by Erich & Matt Patten

Fresh Cranberry Orange Drop Cookies – by Erika Bishop

Easy Recipes from the Pot Rack – November 2023

You may have noticed from this column that I’m not much of a baker. I’m more of a savory kinda gal. But this simple cookie is one I love because it’s easy and perfect for any holiday celebration. It’s also lower on the sweet scale with a […]

By |2023-11-08T14:20:48-08:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Pot Rack Easy Recipes|Comments Off on Fresh Cranberry Orange Drop Cookies – by Erika Bishop

Burning to Save Woodlands – by Clayton Gillette

Trail Talk – November 2023

The Douglas firs are dying. Numerous articles in a variety of publications have covered this phenomenon and, sadly, our local woodlands are no exception. Forecasts of 80% mortality of large firs in forests below 3000’ elevation in the next decade have been proposed, and one only need look at the yellowing […]

By |2023-11-08T14:20:36-08:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Trail Talk|Comments Off on Burning to Save Woodlands – by Clayton Gillette

Unexpected Costs of Buying a Home – by Sandy J. Brown

On Real Estate & More – November 2023

Buying a new home is exciting, but also one of the biggest investments a person will make. While some costs like property taxes, insurance and maintenance are often considered by many home buyers, there are other costs that should be considered. And it’s important to consider how some […]

By |2023-11-08T14:20:22-08:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Sandy J. Brown|Comments Off on Unexpected Costs of Buying a Home – by Sandy J. Brown

Gifting Done Right – by Erich & Matt Patten

On Money & More – November 2023

It’s that time of year when Jacksonville lights up in all its holiday splendor. And as we approach year-end, many of us will be thinking about gifts. Perhaps for you this means buying gifts at one of our California Street boutiques. But for some, it may also mean giving […]

By |2023-10-27T12:20:32-07:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, On Money and More|Comments Off on Gifting Done Right – by Erich & Matt Patten

Police Protection in Jacksonville – by Mayor Donna Bowen

A Few Minutes with the Mayor – November 2023

On October 3, 2023, City Council voted to enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and directed staff to come up with a timeline to rebuild our police department staff. The purpose of the agreement is to provide police services to the City […]

By |2023-10-27T11:59:35-07:00October 26th, 2023|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Police Protection in Jacksonville – by Mayor Donna Bowen

Da Doo Run Run Run, Da Doo Run Run – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – November 2023

This is dedicated… to the one I love…

Or, more accurately, the ONES WE love. We’re thinking about “the girl groups,” teenage vocalists that had as much to do with the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll as Elvis Presley, or as the Sears catalog’s guitar page.

You know of whom we speak. […]

By |2023-10-27T11:59:27-07:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on Da Doo Run Run Run, Da Doo Run Run – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

November 2023 Cemetery News – by Dick Meyers

New Fences and Faces!—We recently highlighted phase 1 of the FOJHC’s restoration of the Pape/Prim block (Masonic 273) … but there’s more to the story! The block was once surrounded by an iron fence atop the sandstone curbing and between the bollards, with a matching gate at the entrance. With no known photographs showing the […]

By |2023-10-27T11:59:21-07:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|Comments Off on November 2023 Cemetery News – by Dick Meyers

State of the Art Presence November 2023 – by Paula Bandy

The American West—Sweeping plains, dusty wooden steps, tumbleweeds tossing across arid soil, hot colored sunsets, and the sound of hooves galloping all conjure up romantic images known as the American West. There’s a saying that cowboys don’t bathe, they just dust off. The cowboy is a folk hero. He tips his Stetson to the golden […]

By |2023-10-27T11:59:10-07:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, State of Art Presence|Comments Off on State of the Art Presence November 2023 – by Paula Bandy

Atrium Foundation Update – by Dorothy Paredes, Founder, The Atrium Foundation

With the fall season upon us, The Atrium Foundation is rejoicing in its 2023 accomplishments. This year, we:

  • Supported 22 cancer patients and survivors by providing $23,095 in financial support.
  • Raised $23,080 in donations towards our $35,000 goal.
  • Hosted our first nonprofit showcase in Jacksonville, which raised $3,390 in donations, thanks to the Jacksonville Community […]
By |2023-10-26T11:20:23-07:00October 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, News Flow|Comments Off on Atrium Foundation Update – by Dorothy Paredes, Founder, The Atrium Foundation

Mulligatawny Soup for the Soul – by Erika Bishop

Easy Recipes from the Pot Rack – October 2023

It’s soup season! This year I present a personal favorite of mine—Mulligatawny soup. It’s a yummy, curry-flavored cream soup with so much complexity that your family will think you slaved for hours. And yes, there are a fair amount ingredients, but don’t let that scare you. The […]

By |2023-10-23T18:04:27-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Pot Rack Easy Recipes|Comments Off on Mulligatawny Soup for the Soul – by Erika Bishop

Trail Downsizing – by Clayton Gillette

Trail Talk – October 2023

Onion Springs Trail. Wickiup Trail. Hemlock Lake. The Oregon Skyline Trail from Devil’s Peak Saddle to Sky Lakes. Puck Lakes Trail. Solace Cow Camp. Gopher Ridge to Lake Ivern to Ranger Springs. In the Sky Lakes Wilderness of Southern Oregon, these are all trails that were abandoned during the federal government […]

By |2023-10-23T18:04:16-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Trail Talk|1 Comment

October 2023 Cemetery News – by Dick Meyers

Early October is normally the time “a small army of volunteers” is working non-stop to put the finishing touches on stories, costumes, and logistical details for another chapter of Meet the Pioneers, our special Living History program where costumed Players share the rich history of Jacksonville and the Rogue Valley on two evenings of one-hour […]

By |2023-10-12T13:24:13-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|Comments Off on October 2023 Cemetery News – by Dick Meyers

That’s My Story – by Kate Ingram

Soul Matters – October 2023

Well my friends, here we are. As I write this in early September, the light has taken on that warm, melancholic hue that signals the end of summer. Every year at this time I find myself in a reflective reverie and this year has not a little bit to reflect upon: […]

By |2023-10-12T13:24:03-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on That’s My Story – by Kate Ingram

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – by Abby McKee

News from Britt Hill – October 2023

Well. I think we all experienced it: the end of August was a real doozy.

I think by now, everyone has heard that Britt canceled four shows due to smoke. What a heartbreaker! We had a gorgeous season, but those four shows constituted 10% of our total programming. Like all […]

By |2023-10-12T13:23:52-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, News From Britt Hill|Comments Off on Smoke Gets in Your Eyes – by Abby McKee

A Helluva Town – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – October 2023

You know that television commercial that seems to get recycled every few years? The one where the old lady pitifully moans, “Help! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”

This isn’t about that. Although it might as well be.

Our personal pitiful moan this month is: “Help! We’ve traveled and we can’t […]

By |2023-09-27T12:31:20-07:00September 26th, 2023|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on A Helluva Town – by Paula & Terry Erdmann
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