Guest View – May 2019

With fire season coming, the Review is pleased to present this guest column to spread extremely important community information. Please be on the lookout for more information on this critical topic in future issues of the Review and on the city website at www.cityofjacksonvilleoregon.com.

In […]

My View – April 2019

With wildflowers in full bloom and the weather warming up, April is one of the nicest months in Jacksonville to get out and discover something new—on foot. Yes, I said on foot.

Sure, it’s a nice experience to drive through our historic town in a car and marvel at the historic buildings […]

My View – March 2019

When it comes to fun and interesting things to do in Jacksonville, the month of March certainly comes in like a lion…and remains that way!

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the Chamber of Commerce is once again sponsoring a day-long event, “Celebrate the Shamrock,” on Saturday, March 16. Thanks to participating merchant-members […]

My View – February 2019

Happy 2019—the Chinese New Year of the Pig! This month, we celebrate Jacksonville’s Chinese heritage with another sensational Chinese New Year celebration on February 9. Our good friends at the Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association, led by Jacksonville local Jeresa Hren, have another full day of festivities in-store for the entire […]

My View – December 2018/January 2019

For this citizen-publisher, Christmas came early on November 6 at the very moment the Jackson County Elections Commission released the vote count on the meals tax. Thankfully, the ballot measure was rejected by a massive 2-1 margin, sparing our restaurants and retailers the agony of losing local customers and their […]

My View – November 2018

I’m pleased to bring you the Review’s first-ever “gratitude issue”—a celebration to showcase many of the incredible organizations that make Jacksonville such a unique and wonderful place to call home. Having worked for the bulk of the summer and fall to help defeat the meals tax ballot measure, I’m thrilled to […]

My View – August 2018

With August here, the Britt Hill comes alive with the sound of music—orchestral music produced by some of the finest classical musicians in the nation. One of the things making the Britt Orchestra so special is that the 100+ musicians literally live in town for three weeks or more—with host families […]

My View – May 2018

Recently, I had the privilege of attending the annual travel and tourism conference sponsored by our good friends at Travel Southern Oregon. TSO is the local arm of Travel Oregon, dedicated to marketing “Oregon” as a destination to the entire planet. During the day-long event, attendees were treated to a number […]

My View – February 2018

If last year is any indication, 2018 will be a very interesting and active year in Jacksonville! To help you better navigate the year ahead, we’ve made a few changes to our layout and design, including a fresher look and new index pages.

To start off the year, our good friends at […]

My View – November 2017

On a recent car ride home from the coast, my wife, Jo and I passed much of the time talking about how grateful we are to live in Jacksonville and how fortunate we are to be surrounded by a caring community. As you know, we own and operate several businesses that […]

With Halloween upon us, I thought I’d share a scary story. It starts with a clap of thunder and a flash of light in the sky…this story ends depending upon how you want it to end. In this case, I’m not talking about one of the stories you’ll encounter on this year’s Jacksonville Haunted Trolley […]

My View – September 2017

There are so many reasons why fall has become my favorite time of year including cooler weather on the heels of blistering summer heat, the changing scenery as trees transition in color, bumper harvests from my backyard garden and nearby farms, the annual grape harvest and crush at area vineyards, and […]

My View – August 2017

For me, August is a special time of year in Jacksonville when two favorite events take center stage—the orchestral season on Britt Hill and the Oregon Wine Experience celebration at the Bigham Knoll campus.

If you’re anything like me, you get a thrill out of watching 100+ classical musicians descend on town […]

My View – July 2017

Nine years to this day, I penned my first editor’s column in the July 2008 Jacksonville Review. That was 100 issues ago just days after my wife, Jo, and I purchased the Review from Carolyn Kingsnorth. After taking the reins, we had big shoes to fill and got to work bringing […]

My View – June 2017

I get lots of visitors here at the Review office on California Street….today was no different. Having an accessible, in-town office is one of the things that keeps me grounded and close to the action, enabling me to stay in the know. Several times a week, folks from all walks of […]

My View – May 2017

April showers bring May flowers,” then Jacksonville should look like a flower shop as soon as the sun comes out and stays out. After what can only be described as an “unusual” winter and early spring, I think we all deserve a serious dose of sunshine and dry air!

When it comes […]

My View – April 2017

On the heels of the Oscar’s, I considered penning a feel-good Hollywood script about an idyllic small town that would make a hit movie. The plot started like this: Against all odds, a group of volunteer visionaries raises a ton of money to preserve 320 acres of woodlands from bulldozers and […]

My View – March 2017

Just before press deadline, I bumped into a longtime Review columnist who admitted, “I’m struggling…all I have is writers block and I’m not sure about writing my column this month!” After a nice chat, I discovered that I too had caught the dreaded writers block “bug.” The chat also left little […]

My View – February 2017

Happy Chinese New Year, Jacksonville! On the Chinese zodiac chart, 2017 is the “Year of the Rooster.” In this issue, you’ll find a full schedule of the Southern Oregon Chinese Cultural Association Chinese New Year celebration on pages 38-39. With a dedicated team of volunteers, SOCCA will once again bring us […]

My View – December 2016/January 2017

I’d like to wish you Happy Holidays and post-election peace! Here at “Review HQ,” the last few months have been nothing short of exhilarating and exhausting, making the prospect of slowing down a bit to enjoy holiday festivities even better this year. This is our December/January offering, the one time […]

My View – October 2016

For reasons outlined here, I wholeheartedly endorse Mayor Becker and ask that you join me in re-electing him. In this election cycle, the mayor’s seat and three council seats are open. On the Council side, incumbents Criss Garcia and David Jesser, along with Steve Casaleggio are running unopposed—all are excellent candidates. […]

My View – September 2016

This month, let me get right to the point—please join me in voting YES on two ballot measures to ban marijuana shops in the city limits. On page 18, you’ll find excerpted copies of the measures as they will appear on your November General Election ballot. I can’t understate the importance […]

My View – August 2016

Unless you’re living under a rock, you can’t help but notice this is “political” season in America! In the coming weeks, the mass media barrage will be in full-force as candidates vying for national, state and local offices hijack the airwaves and internet to convince us to vote “their way.”

Here in […]

My View – July 2016

Welcome to summer in the city…make that summer in the small town! Now that the Britt concert season is in full-swing and town is hopping with locals and visitors out and about, this is a great time of year to enjoy all that Jacksonville… and the Rogue Valley has to offer.

From […]

My View – June 2016

When I was a young boy growing up in Wyckoff, New Jersey, we were a one-car family. Several times a week, I loved tagging along as my mother shuttled my father to and from the train station for his daily commute into New York City. Often, while sitting in the family […]

My View – April 2016

This month, our pages are overflowing with “what-to-do” hiking articles that will guide you to the best trail systems in Southern Oregon. Located in our own backyard and within minutes of town, we are literally surrounded by hiking trails, managed and maintained by the Jacksonville Woodlands Association, Forest Park Trails Association, […]

My View – March 2016

At its first meeting this year, the Jacksonville Budget Committee sounded the alarm about financial stress our public safety program faces in future budget years. For now, town finances are fine, but may not be be so fine starting in 2018. To gather public input, the City Council has scheduled a […]

My View – February 2016

When expressing My View, it’s always penned with a deliberate “end in-mind,” intent that what’s expressed will make a difference and possibly shape public policy. On that note, I’d like to share my thoughts on a matter of utmost importance that will impact Jacksonville’s future—marijuana.

On January 5 at its first meeting […]

My View – October 2015

Up until a few minutes ago, as I was channel-surfing to find the Oregon Ducks game on television, I thought this column was in the can. Not so fast, I said to myself as coverage of the Chilean earthquake appeared on-screen. Had I not seen the coverage, this column would have […]

My View – September 2015

At times, living and working in a small town brings unusual challenges that end-up producing extraordinary and unexpected results.

Reflecting back to early 2008, Jacksonville was stuck in the grips of a national economic recession that was taking a toll on businesses, large and small. It was the same year I took […]

My View – August 2015

As a publisher, I spend a fair amount of my time out and about walking and talking with locals and visitors – getting a feel for things on the ground is a part of my job and something I enjoy. Discussion topics run the gamut from family affairs to politics and […]

My View – March 2015

Last month, I had a 5-day “hall pass” to get out of town with my wife, Jo. Our trip to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show was primarily a jewelry buying trip for Jo’s in-town shop, but since I have family in Arizona, it also provided a […]

My View – February 2015

This year, our City Council must weigh the importance of and address several challenges including the Courthouse, the Jacksonville Dam, the need for a new Fire Station and updating the Comprehensive Plan and Urban Growth Boundary.

On the Courthouse: the decision to move city offices into the historic building is seen by […]

It’s hard to believe this is the final issue of 2014…I’m wondering where the year has gone! I’d like to wish everyone the happiest of holidays and express my sincere thanks to our readers, contributors and advertisers for helping make this our best year ever! As with every issue, my Production […]

This fall has been an exciting time in Jacksonville. In the midst of it all, it’s also election season and the Review sponsored the City Council Candidate Forum, which drew a full house of interested voters! Thanks to Carolyn Kingsnorth for doing an outstanding job of moderating the forum. After 8:00pm on Election Day, you’ll […]