When CrossFit became an aggravation for Jerry Greer, at age 83, he jumped back in the pool for his fitness routine. He’d been an active swimmer in high school and during his time in the Marine Corps. Today, he’s in the pool five days a week, and swims 1500 yards.
Around the pool deck at Superior […]
Chris Kranenburg, who pens our youth column, “Christopher’s Angle,” was recently honored for his soccer skills as the Oregon Special District Five Co-Player of the Year. As a member of the St. Mary’s Boys Varsity Soccer Team, Chris had a stellar high school career in the classroom and on the pitch. This year alone, he […]
As we enter the Holiday season, our committee wants to share where our work has led us this year.
As many of you know, we formed our Committee in February 2023 to address the serious speeding problem in our town. We began collecting petition signatures in the spring and quickly found over 350 residents who shared […]
December 6, 2023—Greyback crews are continuing with cutting, handpiling, and burning in Forest Park. We are currently able to open Rail, Siskiyou, Pipsissewa, and Eastern Halls of Manzanita Trails. The Siskiyou View Loop and Upper Rattlesnake Gulch Trails along with Knobcone Pine Trail will remain closed at this time because of […]
Join us for Jacksonville’s Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on Saturday, October 28, 9am-1pm, at the D Street Parking lot near the library. This event is a crucial step in fortifying our community against the threat of wildfires. Here’s what you can expect:
Vegetation Disposal—Residents of Jacksonville are invited to bring branches and other vegetation for chipping […]
The City of Jacksonville has launched a new program to assist homeowners in removing blackberry thickets clogging creeks and creating a fire hazard around properties. Every year, Jacksonville property owners with natural watercourses on or adjacent to their properties are reminded through mailed notices that they are responsible for keeping these watercourses free of obstructions […]
In keeping with our policy of full transparency, our group, Citizens for a Safer Jacksonville, presented Mayor Donna Bowen, City Administrator Jeff Alvis, and Councilor Ken Gregg, a set of seven initial recommendations for consideration.
This meeting took place August 9, 2023, and the full presentation was sent to the entire City […]
Summer greetings to all our residents and visitors! When I first stood before the City Council in February of this year, I had no idea that my serious concerns about speeding in town were so widespread and significant. At our May 24 Town Hall meeting, more than 50 people, many of whom had not been […]
Through a State Fire Marshall grant secured by Fire Chief, Wayne Painter, the City of Jacksonville was able to hire Civil West Engineering Services to oversee a contract with Grayback Forestry, Inc. to perform fuel reduction in Forest Park. The treatment involves vegetation cutting, thinning, pruning, hand-piling and cover, and, after a season of curing, […]
On April 24, 2023, a group of 50+ citizens attended a meeting organized by “Citizens for a Safer Jacksonville” to discuss ideas on slowing traffic speeds within the city limits. Attendees included committee founder, Cindy Rassmusen and several board members, City Administrator Jeff Alvis, Police Chief David Towe, Mayor Donna Bowen and City Councilors Ken […]
There is nothing more relaxing to me than floating on the calm water of a lake. In the Applegate Valley, we have one of those liquidly jewels that was finished just 40 years ago. I know the age of the lake because I have a picture of our 8-month-old son, Josh, sitting on a rock […]
[SOUTHERN OREGON] April 22, 2020, Three waste management companies in Southern Oregon – Republic Services, Rogue Disposal & Recycling, and Southern Oregon Sanitation – are pleased to announce that #1 and #2 plastic bottles and jugs will now be accepted in curbside recycling carts and at local recycle depots. As a result of the global […]
If memory serves, I think it was 2008 when I hired a crew to spray all the Scotch broom in the woodlands. It was so thick back then you couldn’t see someone standing 20 feet away! And it was basically a solid stand from the parking lot to the water tanks, and beyond! My son […]
Earth, Air, Fire, and Water are touted in astrology as the basic elements of matter. They feature profoundly in myth and magic. To these, we should add the human element since, even in the arena of geology – as our impact equals or exceeds those of other forces – the profound impact that humanity now […]
Anyone watching local events can see the temperature rising, snowpack dwindling, fire season lengthening. These trends are not peculiar to Southern Oregon. Our planet has warmed approximately a degree Centigrade since the industrial revolution. Trends are progressing faster than climate scientists have anticipated. We are in precarious times; the need for action is urgent!
Would you […]
Medford, OR: Playball Prospects, a non-profit, advanced training program for baseball, is looking for donations for their scholarship program. There are currently twelve kids, ages 9-17, in need of support. Playball Prospects’ mission is to offer every child the opportunity to play baseball and increase their skills both […]
This October, Bella Union restaurant raised $2500 and donated it all to Providence Hospital for their breast cancer awareness program. Co-owner Christian Hamilton (pictured here on the right) said the funds were raised by selling special $12 Bella Union breast cancer awareness tee shirts, along with 10% of all pizza sales. This was the first […]
Every year, dozens of caring businesses 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 businesses will participate in the program, collecting toys for 3000 Jackson County kids age 12 and under!
Thanks to your generosity, children in our community who […]
The City of Jacksonville is currently recruiting volunteers to serve on a five-member Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) to review and edit proposed revisions to the Jacksonville Land Development Code with possible amendments to the Comprehensive Plan to ensure consistency between the documents.
The current Development Code is long overdue for an update. With inconsistencies that lead […]
Jacksonville residents and local business owners Herstle & Kelly Jones are looking for a family who is struggling to make ends meet due to a medical crisis, loss of a job, a death in the family or other circumstances beyond their control. Their Jones Cares Community Outreach Program, in partnership with national charitable foundation Gradient […]
Travel expert, Anne McAlpin suggested the original idea for a “pay-it-forward” scarf donation program. So far, it’s been a huge success with more than 1,000 new and gently-used scarves being donated to the Scarves-for-Seniors program the past 5 years!
Jo Parker, Owner of WillowCreek, says, “Our customers are amazing—because of their generosity, WillowCreek was able to […]
Have you ever driven by Sanctuary One, your local care farm, on your way to Applegate Lake and thought, “I wonder what they do?” or “I should stop by sometime.” Here’s your chance! Meet the animals, see the farm, and join the party! Join us on Saturday, October 26, from 10:30am-1:30pm for a fun-filled day […]
On October 11, from 4:00-7:00pm, come meet Jacksonville’s firefighters, spray some water from the fire hoses, and check out the Fire Trucks! This is a great opportunity to learn more about your Fire Department, the services they provide and steps you can take to keep yourself and your family fire safe. J’Ville Fire looks forward […]
This September, the Jackson County Windermere Real Estate offices will spend a month making sure local children are kept warm. Starting Sept. 16, 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 from the drop-off […]
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, composting, plastics, e-waste and much more.
The annual course offers and an extensive training manual, […]
Just how much effort is required to be “Firewise”? This was my first question when Gold Terrace became the obvious trial neighborhood with about twenty-five homes. We would be working together to prepare our homes for resilience to fire and to submit […]
Nobody wants to have a wildfire occur in their town, so several Jacksonville neighborhoods have become certified Firewise neighborhoods. Firewise USA is a nationwide program that teaches people how to adapt to wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and […]
My recent Rotary trip to Nepal lasted two weeks with a travel group comprised of Rotarians and their families from Jacksonville/Applegate, Medford and North Carolina. I was thrilled that my wife, Karen, and my son, Ayden, joined me on this trip of a lifetime.
The first part of the trip was exploratory while the second […]
Summer’s almost here! When school is out it is time to come to the Jacksonville Library (or any Jackson County Library) and sign up for our Summer Reading Program. This is a great way to have fun and learn about lots of cool things, and keep those reading skills sharp.
Our theme is A […]
Ruch Outdoor Community School has a 104 year-old history that holds within its arms, a deeply-rooted attitude of relationship building, mutual care and sustainable community. What began as a roughhewn wood-built original schoolhouse that accommodated 51 students, is now a modern school that holds 225 students—preschool through 8th-grade. Internationally known for being one of the TOP 100 Place-Based Community […]
June 15 at 9:00am marks the official Grand Opening of Jacksonville’s Waggin’ Tails Dog Park! Mayor Becker will speak at the event and John Parrott, a dog trainer with R&R Pet Resort, will discuss dog park etiquette. This will be a fun morning and an opportunity to see the park in its completion.
Major construction progress was made during the month of April at Waggin’ Tails Dog Park. The new park, scheduled to open mid-June is located near the Skate Park, above the “D” Street parking lot. Visitors to the site have been watching excitedly as land next to the skate park was sculpted out to provide separate play areas […]
The fact that our town is bordered on two sides by forest makes it somewhat vulnerable to wildfire. Much of the forested lands on the south side of town are intermingled with homes. Those homes are more susceptible to damage by fire…and because of that can be made safer by creating defensible zones around them.
Fuel reduction debris collection for all Firewise Neighborhoods in the city of Jacksonville to be held Saturday, May 4th, 2019, National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.
Firewise Neighborhood coordinators, together with the Oregon Department of Forestry, Jackson County, the Jacksonville CERT Team, the Jacksonville Fire Department and the City of Jacksonville, are hosting this event as one […]
A new tai chi class will begin in Jacksonville on Wednesday, April 3 from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at the newly completed Jacksonville Community Center. Improve your muscle tone and reduce stress. Slow, fluid movements will focus on balance. Tai chi can increase your range of motion, improve digestion, breathing, balance and relaxation. The […]
You can’t afford to miss this opportunity to become better informed and prepared in the event of a major fire, flood, or earthquake!
The Jacksonville CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) will conduct a seminar designed to assist homeowners in preparing for emergencies on Tuesday, March 5, 6:00-8:00pm, and Saturday, March 16, 10:00am-noon, in the Naversen Room […]
Leading by example is what we want Oregon to do when it comes to breaking our fossil fuel addiction and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Talent can do the same for the Rogue Valley when it comes to the solar energy conversion!
The global warming and climate change problems posed by fossil fuel use are well-understood, and […]
The Ruch Country Store has been helping dreams come true for students at Ruch School for many years. Last fall, store owners, Craig and Amber Hamm, pitched-in once again with a community fundraiser that’s now generated enough cash to replace the school’s aging and unusable running track. Over a 4-month period, customers of the Ruch […]
Support literacy and the love of reading by donating new or gently used children’s books to the Storytelling Guild. Book Drive donations support the Guild’s Pass the Book program. The Pass the Book provides thousands of books every year to local agencies which work with […]
January 23, 2019 — On Tuesday, February 12, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., SNYP will hold an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of its new spay/neuter clinic at 111 N. Pacific Highway in […]
During a presentation at Old City Hall on January 9, Mayor Paul Becker honored longtime Jacksonville resident and Presbyterian Church Pastor Larry Jung with the first-ever “Lifetime Achievment Award.” During the brief but emotional presentation, Mayor Becker noted, “Tonight, we have reason to do so, for the individual we honor here exemplifies all the qualities […]
The Jacksonville Community Center (JCC) is officially open for business! Celebrating more than 20 years of efforts by volunteers and donors, JCC held its Grand Opening on January 12, 2019. Standing in the new Great Room, more than 80 people heard President Rick Patsche, on behalf of the JCC Board, thank the hundreds of volunteers, […]
If this past summer isn’t enough to convince you that your home needs to be fire-proofed, I don’t know what is. This especially pertains to those of you living in the outskirts, surrounded by trees and brush.
Dry conditions that we painfully experience during the summer months are only 6 months away, and if we have […]
A Jacksonville Golden Retriever dog died this morning and is suspected of being a victim of intentional poisoning. Jacksonville authorities, including the Police and City Administrator, are now urging dog owners to keep an eye on their pets and to use caution when letting them out alone. The dog lived in the Nunan Square neighborhood, […]
The Jacksonville Community Center will hold its GRAND OPENING on Saturday, January 12, 2019 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Everyone is welcome to be a part of this momentous occasion. After nearly 20 years of planning and with hundreds of people donating money and volunteer-time to help, Jacksonville has a brand-new community center. Your community center […]
Last year, Jackson County Library Services began offering free one-on-one tutorial appointments to help patrons with their various devices. Members of the JCLS Digital Services team have since made weekly visits to each of the library branches in order to help library users learn the ins and outs of their phones, laptops, tablets, eReaders, cameras, […]
Oregon is known for many things but none more majestic then its beautiful evergreen trees. They provide shade for a weary traveler or family gathering for a picnic. They are refuge to forest critters, an impenetrable perch for the powerful Bald Eagle and for this holiday season, a symbol for peace and good cheer.
At Ruch […]
Recently, the Warren Lodge donated $1,000 to Jacksonville Community Center. In 2017, they also donated the same amount to Jacksonville Elementary School for their cafeteria garden. Both were selected based upon their support of children’s programming, including JCC programs for painting, clay work and woodlands walks.
On June 10, 1855 Jacksonville’s Masonic Warren Lodge #10 received […]
Every year, dozens of caring businesses 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 businesses will participate in the program, collecting toys for 3000 Jackson County kids age 12 and under!
Thanks to your generosity, children in our community who […]
Please join Travel Expert Anne McAlpin and Jo Parker of WillowCreek Gifts, in making a difference for seniors in the Rogue Valley. In 2014, Anne and Jo created this “pay-it-forward” scarf donation program and it’s been a great success since. The program has grown in recent years, with hundreds of new and gently-used scarves being […]