Thank you for sharing your holidays with us at Hanley Farm! Many of you visited the Scarecrow Festival and made Scarecrows to protect your gardens and fields and the farm’s Haunted Field Drama, “The Lady in Black,” was sold out all three nights! Families held their children close […]
Many were surprised to see the median price of a home in Jacksonville hit an all-time high of $578,500 for the last 90 days, ending October 31. Not only is this a record, it exceeds the median home price of Ashland which has held the record for highest […]
William Mason Covig’s Christmas greeting is written in Chinook, the “trading language” used between immigrants and the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest until around 1900. Colvig professed to have been more fluent in Chinook, the language of his childhood playmates, than in his native English. Born in Missouri in […]
The First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville (JPC) hosted a large gathering on October 21 to say thank you and bon voyage to their pastor, Larry Jung and his wife, Sally, for their 33-years of service to their church and the community of Jacksonville. Larry has easily been the longest serving […]
’Tis the season for ye olde Unfettered Critics to remind (okay—nag) everyone to give back to your community by shopping local. Which brings up a question that has been bothering us for some time—what’s with this weird word we used at the top: “’Tis?”
Think about it. It’s obviously a […]
With the holidays upon us, it seems appropriate to reflect back on the past year and share our list of many wonderful things that the Britt Music and Arts Festival board and staff are grateful for this season.
At a recent meeting with community members, a group that we […]
Make your own Holiday Wreath at Hanley Farm on Saturday, November 24, from 10:00am-3:00pm! You will make your wreath using all natural materials clipped from the trees and bushes that grace the farm. Wreath-making kits that include all you need to make your wreath will be available for $15 for non-SOHS Members, and $10 for […]
“I just wanted to take another look at you” is a key bit of dialogue in the oft-produced movie A Star Is Born. The heartfelt line is delivered by the film’s male lead: Fredric March in 1937, James Mason in 1954, Kris Kristofferson in 1976, and Bradley Cooper in this […]
The technology used today for real estate transactions is amazing. The internet provides resources for everything related to real estate—locating properties, viewing, listing, advice on buying and selling, and even pricing calculators, known as an automated valuation model, or AVM.
An AVM is a program that automatically analyzes various […]
I enjoyed breakfast the other day at Buttercloud Bakery in Medford. They’ve been open for years but this was my first time. Buttercloud is outstanding and I’m kicking myself for taking so long to go. I told the guy who looked in-charge that establishments like his were important because […]
Ever since the smoke rolled in on July 16, 2018, your Britt team has been busy making plans on how we will deal with the new “norm” during the 2019 Orchestra Season and beyond.
Thanks to the strong partnership between Medford Public School District and […]
One thing I love about the holiday season is gathering with friends and family. For the most part, it brings out the best in us, and we bring out the best of our dishes. We get to use those items stored away for special occasions.
Start thinking of who is coming […]
I love the change of seasons and the distinct characteristics that each season brings. The Rogue Valley experiences beautiful contrasts and beauty during each season of the year.
Your landscape can offer a variety of colors, textures and features during each season. From short-flowering periods in the spring and early summer, […]
In an article two months ago, we talked about how the real estate market was being negatively affected by the smoke and repeated closures of interstate 5. Now that summer has ended, we can look back and survey the actual effect the fires had on our summer home sales.
Since […]
The election is upon us. With all its insane anger and pent up hatred, I’ll be glad when it is over. Contrarily, I welcome the Thanksgiving season for the blessings in life. It’s a feeling we should have year-round.
Every election seems to get worse with the name […]
Preserving an image that the eye sees is indeed a miracle of modern times. How fantastic would it be to have an actual snapshot image of the babe in the manger, or the building of the pyramids?
Fill in the blanks. Thousands of years of human history are left to the […]
Qualifying for a mortgage nowadays isn’t easy. Lenders have strict requirements that weed out applicants with poor credit or too much debt or other extenuating circumstances. But there are other options that could work, depending on the willingness of both the buyer and seller, including a lease option […]
Most people don’t know what a Reverse Mortgage is; and, because they are relatively new, there is a lack of understanding. The reality is that Reverse Mortgages (RM) may be an answer to one of the biggest economic problems facing us in the United States, which is that many […]
It’s October, Hanley Farm’s scariest month with Ghosties and Ghoulies and things that go BUMP in the night. And, I must admit, it’s one of my favorite months at the farm!
The 8th-annual Scarecrow Festival is October 6 & 7. You’re invited to join us, create your own scarecrow, and […]
Unless you were there, you probably didn’t know about the Pub Crawl.
After the third rehearsal was smoked out, Teddy decided to hold meetings with musicians who wished to brainstorm alternative performance opportunities. It had become clear that we were unlikely to be able to rehearse anymore at the Hill, […]
Jacksonville resident, Dave Mills, has a compelling story about how hard work, determination and a supportive spouse will allow anyone to be successful. Dave Mills is proof of this—while in high school, he started as a “lot boy” for the Medford Skinner-Butler Cadillac dealership and just recently retired as the co-owner […]
I thought I’d put the election off till next month. You already know how I feel about this terrible meals tax proposal.
Have you noticed a lack of civil discourse in these times? Of course you have. Just turn on the television news and cable channels and the […]
A Cup of Conversation – October 2018
I loathe local politics. It is counter-intuitive for a small-town merchant to open his mouth on any issue splitting business along two polar extremes. I’ve avoided this stupidity for most of our three decades doing business in Jacksonville.
Having said this, there are times when keeping silent out of self-preservation […]
The evenings of October 14, 20 and 21, 2018 – you’re invited to take a dark walk, guided by lantern, through the fields of Hanley Farm. What is it that keeps all the neighbors astir? Who is this strange lady who haunts the Hanley fields? Along your walk, you’ll encounter talkative townspeople, a mysterious cornfield […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Music & Arts Festival thanks everyone – our patrons, members, business partners, media partners, artists and fans – for an outstanding season. Despite another smoky wildfire season, the 2018 Britt Season was very popular with patrons, demonstrated by steady ticket sales and abundant support from the community. During the last […]
This month’s “Sensational Seniors” subjects are well-known Jacksonville residents Terry and Paula Block Erdmann. While their monthly Jacksonville Review column “The Unfettered Critic” provides insight into their Hollywood days, it touches only the surface of this intriguing couple. My two-hour interview with them covered their wonderful journey through the backdoor of […]
Dogs are entertainment. Unfettered entertainment, if you will. Life without dogs is possible…but for people like us, it’s far less enjoyable.
Dogs also are a job. We take care of them, 24/7, from the day we let them into our lives to their last passing moments. We’ve written about dogs before, […]
When you poke around a store like Pickety Place, you sometimes find objects that you have no idea what they are or what the purpose for them could possibly be.
Displayed with a pair of unused, vintage, white leather kid gloves, is a wooden scissor-like item. This is called a glove […]
With the close of this year’s 56th Britt Orchestra season, we can now reflect on our successes and challenges. As we all know, our orchestra season evolved and ultimately ended with unprecedented conditions. However, our orchestra, board, and patrons made this season special in extraordinary ways. In spite of […]
I will be blunt. Before I became a real estate broker, I didn’t think all that highly of the profession. I had been working as a city land use planner and had many occasions where buyers and their agents didn’t do their due diligence until after the property […]
2018 started out with a bang and we saw the median price of a home in Jackson County increase to $285,000—up from $194,500 in 2013. This means the average home has seen its value increase $18,000 a year. The number of homes sold has also increased this year by […]
It’s here! The Southern Oregon Historical Society hosts its second annual music festival Saturday, September 8, at Hanley Farm, the “Bluegrass Promenade.” Rainy & the Rattlesnakes, Siskiyou Summit and Waking Hazel perform music that blends Irish, Scotch and English folk traditions—the very best of bluegrass classic and contemporary sounds.
Music […]
On September 22, 2018, the Friends of St. Joseph’s are hosting “A Bid for History”—a dinner and auction to support the ongoing care and preservation of Jacksonville’s classical 1868 Catholic Rectory, a significant piece of local history. However, it only became the Catholic Rectory in 1875 when Reverend Francis Xavier Blanchet […]
As your Mayor, I’m always ready to take responsibility for my actions. Screw Up—‘Fess Up is my rule. So imagine my surprise when confronted with accusations of sponsoring the meals tax initiative on this November’s election ballot. Evidently the assumption was made on the part of some, […]
MEDFORD, OR — The Britt Music & Arts Festival is happy to announce the return of Britt Orchestra performances to the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville for its final weekend of concerts on Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11. Rehearsals scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday, August 7 – 11, will be held at the Britt […]
Early settlers recognized the Rogue Valley’s potential for grape and wine production long before the World of Wine, now the Oregon Wine Experience, began celebrating the award-winning varietals being produced in the region’s many micro-climes. As early as 1854, Peter Britt, the father of Southern Oregon’s wine industry, planted his first […]
MEDFORD, OR — Due to continued rehearsals and performances located at North Medford High School, the Britt Orchestra has released a revised rehearsal schedule. Some rehearsal times have changed to accommodate transportation of musicians. Closed rehearsals require a pass for entry:
2018 BRITT ORCHESTRA Rehearsal Revised Schedule – Updates for weeks 2 & 3
(All times except […]
The Jville Market was fluttering with excitement Sunday, July 8, for the Jacksonville Pollinator Society’s (JPS) 2nd annual Pollinator Appreciation Day Event.
JPS team members chatted with visitors while the children’s booth, run by our youth advocates, was abuzz with activity. Pollinator Project Rogue Valley (PPRV) educated folks about Nontoxic Rogue […]
Before you go camping this summer, stop in to Pickety Place, pick up some vintage items and then go “old school” camping.
Take a 3 or 5-gallon crock instead of a cooler to keep your items cold. It might be heavy, but if you are near a very cold mountain stream, […]
I am sitting in my camper at Lake of the Woods as I write this article, reflecting about life. I usually write about land use or real estate issues, but summer is upon me and I want to talk about this wonderful Rogue Valley we call home. The […]
We’re planning a wedding. Our youngest found her soul-mate. He is one very fortunate young man. It’s a good thing I really like him. It would have been an uphill battle all the way, spoken of course in the narrative of the “father of the bride.”
The toast is being […]
Southern Oregon has attracted retirees for years with its four seasons, culture, wine industry and outdoor activities, all combined with great healthcare and affordable housing. For the last sixteen years, we have been helping hundreds of people find their perfect retirement home and along the way we have learned […]
Summertime and the livin’ is easy…
Fish are jumpin’ and the cotton is high
Those lyrics Ira wrote to his brother George’s music seem very appropriate as we head into August and the heart of summer. Summertime! The mere word brings thoughts of picnics on the lawn, blankets on the beach and boating on the lake. For […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams and management have announced changes in the remaining four concerts in the 2018 Britt Orchestra Season due to possible continued performances at the North Medford High School Auditorium. Logistical challenges prevent the orchestra from performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 at the temporary venue, which was originally […]
MEDFORD, OR — Due to continued unpredictable air quality, Britt Music & Art Festival plans to present the Friday, August 3 and Saturday, August 4 Britt Orchestra concerts at the North Medford High School Auditorium. All rehearsals are scheduled to continue to be held at North Medford High School, located at 1900 N. Keene Way […]
MEDFORD, OR — Due to the extreme smoky conditions prevailing in the region, the BrittKids Koncert series has been relocated until further notice. The free morning concerts for kids will now be held at the Oak Grove Elementary School gymnasium. Doors will open at 9:30 AM and the concerts will begin at 10:15 AM as […]
The SOHS “Roots 2018 Music Festival” is just around the corner. On September 8, Hanley Farm will come alive with the music of banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and bass as music ensembles perform in small groups on the lawns, the main stage and the dance pavilion. This year’s “Bluegrass […]
The “Sensational Senior” candidate for this month is arguably Jacksonville’s best known and loved citizen, who through 51 years of teaching has positively impacted thousands of young lives. As always, my approach is to start from the beginning, and in Larry’s case, his was on July 3, 1940 when he and […]
This August 25th marks the 100th anniversary of illustrious composer/conductor Leonard Bernstein’s birth.
And this column in the august August Jacksonville Review marks our 100th contribution as your ever-faithful Unfettered Critics. As CE3K’s Roy Neary said to his bewildered family: “This means something.”
Or not. Maybe it’s just mashed potatoes.
We often struggle […]
Everyone loves a love story and this one is so special that we have decided to reprint excerpts from a previously-published story. It began back in 1972 (not long after Britt began), when two Pan Am crew members staying in the same hotel on a stopover in London discovered […]