Repertory Singers Take Audience on a Trip Through the Seasons of Life

On Sunday, February 8, 2015, the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers, under the direction of Dr. Paul French, took their audience at the SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland on a musical journey reflecting on the seasons of life in The Passing of Time concert. I’ve written about Dr. French in these pages before (“His is […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:17-07:00February 10th, 2015|Featured Stories, Performing Arts|Comments Off on Repertory Singers Take Audience on a Trip Through the Seasons of Life

Balance for Health and Happiness – by Louise Lavergne

Joyfull Living – February 2015
Seeing all the hearts around this month can be a great reminder to check in with your emotional heart and evaluate how you feel about your life. As I am writing this article, I just heard on the news that studies show that a happy heart is more likely to be […]

By |2015-02-08T11:45:13-08:00January 23rd, 2015|Featured Stories, Joyfull Living|Comments Off on Balance for Health and Happiness – by Louise Lavergne

Fraternity of Marriage – by Michael Kell

A Cup of Conversation – February 2015

After twenty-five years of marital bliss, I’ve come to understand a great many more things about life, love, and the beautiful reality of imperfection called marriage. Some things can’t be taught in the classroom, only learned on the job. We raise our kids with the best of intentions especially […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:20-07:00January 23rd, 2015|Cup of Conversation, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Fraternity of Marriage – by Michael Kell

Heart and Soul – by Kate Ingram, M.A.

Soul Matters – February 2015

I don’t mean to burst anyone’s romantic bubble, but I thought a little education about the heart and the origins of Valentine’s Day might be of interest. An alternative, if you will, to the commercial sentimentality foisted upon us February 14 by Hallmark, Inc.

The modern, mid-month celebration of Valentine’s Day morphed […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:20-07:00January 23rd, 2015|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on Heart and Soul – by Kate Ingram, M.A.

In Love with Salt Cellars – by Margaret Barnes

Speaking of Antiquing – February 2015

One thing I’ve been collecting lately is tiny, multi- functional, elegant, practical, universal, and easy to afford—my growing collection of Salt Cellars, also known as salts, open dips, open salts, salt dish, or master salt.

The individual cellar would have typically been sterling silver, […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:20-07:00January 23rd, 2015|Featured Stories, Speaking of Antiquing|1 Comment

Home prices increased 8% in 2014. What’s to come in 2015?

Let’s Talk Real Estate – February 2015

2014 Recap—2014 was a good year for the U.S. economy with 3 million jobs added and the unemployment rate dropping to 5.6%, the lowest level since June 2008. We also saw declining gasoline prices and natural gas prices in most of the Midwest and East Coast, all combined with […]

By |2015-02-08T11:50:41-08:00January 23rd, 2015|Featured Stories, Let's Talk Real Estate|Comments Off on Home prices increased 8% in 2014. What’s to come in 2015?

Not-So-Idle Thoughts – by Mayor Paul Becker

A Few Minutes with the Mayor, February 2015

Before beginning this first column of the year, I wish to thank the editor/ publisher of this newspaper who approached me four years ago with the offer to write my own column, promising to allow me total freedom to write whatever I felt like. Now I ask you, […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:20-07:00January 22nd, 2015|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Not-So-Idle Thoughts – by Mayor Paul Becker

Gin Lin – Prominent Mine Boss, Contract Labor Broker, and Businessman – by Carolyn Kingsnorth

Pioneer Profiles – February 2015

As Jacksonville celebrates Chinese New Year this month, we should not lose sight of the original “welcome” given Chinese immigrants when they first arrived in Oregon in the 1850s.

Jackson County greeted the Chinese with a $2-per month Chinese mining tax levied in 1857 and doubled in 1858, and Oregon included a […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:21-07:00January 22nd, 2015|Featured Stories, Pioneer Profiles|2 Comments

with a little help from their (female) friends. . . – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – February 2015

The movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid opens with this line on the screen: “Most of what follows is true.” While the main characters actually existed, their story’s timeframe has been truncated for convenience, and, some characters, for dramatic convenience, are consolidations of several actual people. Such is the […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:21-07:00January 22nd, 2015|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on with a little help from their (female) friends. . . – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

News From Britt Hill, February 2015 – by Donna Briggs

As we enter the New Year, Britt welcomes Jacksonville’s three newest City Council members: Ken Gregg, Brad Bennington and Jim Lewis. As volunteers, the City Council works tirelessly with the city’s administrative staff and citizens to provide a framework for the ongoing operations of the City. As I have participated in many proceedings over the […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:21-07:00January 22nd, 2015|Featured Stories, News From Britt Hill|Comments Off on News From Britt Hill, February 2015 – by Donna Briggs

Weed Impacts on the Big Stage – by Bob Budesa

The Weed Wrangler – February 2015

When most of us think of weed control, it’s usually in the context of our own yard, or neighborhood, and that’s not unexpected. After all, weeds are primarily what keep us from achieving the look and feel we try to portrait with our landscaping.

Let’s switch gears […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:21-07:00January 21st, 2015|Featured Stories|Comments Off on Weed Impacts on the Big Stage – by Bob Budesa

Family Views, February 2015 – by Courtney Zimmerman

Love is a messy ordeal. The stomach bug is roaring through our house as I write this, and you all know how ugly that can be. Ugly. So here we are mopping-up messes off the floor at five in the morning, and sometimes it’s easy to wonder what in the world we signed […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:21-07:00January 21st, 2015|Family Views, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Family Views, February 2015 – by Courtney Zimmerman

An Enchanting House Concert

Imagine, if you can, a large country estate, isolated, surrounded by vineyards, orchards and agrarian fields. Having a great room, with a vaulted ceiling and walls lined with original paintings, able to hold over 50 seated guests, and of course, featuring a classic baby grand piano. A venue much like the chamber room of a […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:22-07:00January 12th, 2015|Featured Stories, Performing Arts|3 Comments

Night Vision – by Kate Ingram, MA

Soul Matters – December 2014/January 2015

The other morning I sat in the pre-dawn darkness on my porch, wrapped up against the cold, staring at the stars with their piercing, distant magnificence. I listened to invisible raccoons running through the trees, saw the inky outline of the branches bending under their weight. I heard the soft […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:24-07:00December 24th, 2014|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on Night Vision – by Kate Ingram, MA

Our Valley, Poised for Growth – by Graham Farran

Let’s Talk Real Estate – December 2014/January 2015

Since the financial crash of 2007, Southern Oregon has suffered high unemployment and little growth; but that all seems to be changing. We have been watching quietly as new homes are being built, businesses continue to move-in and acres and acres of grapes are planted.

Home Building and Commercial […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:24-07:00December 24th, 2014|Featured Stories, Let's Talk Real Estate|Comments Off on Our Valley, Poised for Growth – by Graham Farran

The Power of Peace

Joyfull Living – December 2014/January 2015

The holidays are a busy time and after all the stress, events and parties are over, we face the end of another year. Some people get a little down about all the things that never got accomplished and the realization that all the energy spent on external “fixes” didn’t magically […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:25-07:00December 13th, 2014|Featured Stories, Joyfull Living|Comments Off on The Power of Peace

Unstoppable Force Makes Intangible Concept Real and the Result is Spectacular!

On Saturday, November 15, a Gala Celebration Concert and reception were held, commemorating the opening of the new Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University. It’s a grand sounding institution, but don’t go searching around Ashland’s Southern Oregon University campus looking for a new building with that name etched on it – because […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:25-07:00December 9th, 2014|Featured Stories, Performing Arts|1 Comment

Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery News, Dec 2014/Jan 2015 – by Dirk Siedlecki

As we enter the winter months, our outdoor activities and work slows down, although we continue to clean-up the cemetery grounds, pick-up downed limbs and branches and clean-up debris to keep the cemetery neat and tidy and safe for all visitors. We’ll keep the Interpretive Panels clean and the Interpretive Center open and brochure boxes […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:27-07:00November 25th, 2014|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News, Now|Comments Off on Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery News, Dec 2014/Jan 2015 – by Dirk Siedlecki

The Adolescent Christmas List – by Michelle Hensman

Family Views – December 2014/January 2015

We sat in a sea of fragmented red, green and gold wrapping paper. My husband and I were content with our coffee as we watched our children explore all the little gifts they missed as they tore through their stockings. After the adrenaline rush of the gift giving and receiving […]

By |2014-12-14T12:28:45-08:00November 24th, 2014|Family Views, Featured Stories|Comments Off on The Adolescent Christmas List – by Michelle Hensman

“I bring you good news…” – by Michael Kell

A Cup of Conversation – December 2014/January 2015

“I bring you good news which shall bring great joy to all people…”

Mary wasn’t dreaming when the words hit the woman-child like a thunderbolt. She could not be pregnant because she had never been with a boy that way. The only thing more surreal than the idea of […]

By |2016-11-30T14:14:35-08:00November 24th, 2014|Cup of Conversation, Featured Stories|Comments Off on “I bring you good news…” – by Michael Kell

Holiday Decorating – by Carmen Whitlock

Making Your House Your Home – December 2014/January 2015

Having just spent almost a month in France and Italy, I can definitely say that I have a new appreciation for opulent decorating and also for simple decorating. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it?

Let me explain. The beauty and magnificence of the many gorgeous, over-the-top castles, palaces, churches, duomos, […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:28-07:00November 24th, 2014|Featured Stories, Making Your House Your Home|Comments Off on Holiday Decorating – by Carmen Whitlock

A Christmas Holiday Gift to All – by Mayor Paul Becker

A Few Minutes with the Mayor -December 2014/January 2015

‘Tis the season of Christmas! (Yes, we can still call it that despite all who would have it otherwise.) Christmas is upon us, as well as the end of another year, and it’s been a very busy year for this mayor!

As I wanted to do something special […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:28-07:00November 24th, 2014|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories|Comments Off on A Christmas Holiday Gift to All – by Mayor Paul Becker

“Small Treasures” Exhibit Continues – by Hannah West

State of the Art Presence Art Center – December 2014/January 2015

Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org) Ten Reasons to Support the Arts, Reason #5: “Arts drive tourism. Arts travelers are ideal tourists, staying longer and spending more to seek-out authentic cultural experiences. The U.S. Department of Commerce reports that the percentage of international travelers, including museum […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:28-07:00November 24th, 2014|Featured Stories, State of Art Presence|Comments Off on “Small Treasures” Exhibit Continues – by Hannah West

Once More, with feeling… – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – December 2014/January 2015

It’s one of the most unnerving scenes in cinema history. A woman sneaks into the room where her husband has been writing his novel. She peeks at the sheet of paper in his typewriter and starts reading: “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” She reads […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:29-07:00November 24th, 2014|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on Once More, with feeling… – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

It Pays to Live in The Rogue Valley: A Rare & Historic Piano Concert

On Friday evening, November 14, the Oregon Center for the Arts’ Tutunov Piano Series presented for its second concert of the season, pianist extraordinaire, Francesco Nicolosi, to a packed house at the SOU Music Recital Hall in Ashland. Nicolosi, 59 years old, born in Catania Italy and centered in Naples, is perhaps the most distinguished […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:29-07:00November 21st, 2014|Featured Stories, Performing Arts|Comments Off on It Pays to Live in The Rogue Valley: A Rare & Historic Piano Concert

Mindful Gratitude – by Louise Lavergne

Joyfull Living – November 2014

Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays, not just because so many people love a turkey dinner but because we feel the joy of gathering with loved ones. We intuitively know the importance of giving thanks. Through all the hustle and bustle of travel, preparing and cooking, stress often gets […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:31-07:00November 6th, 2014|Featured Stories, Joyfull Living|Comments Off on Mindful Gratitude – by Louise Lavergne

Light-up Your Landscape with Outdoor Lighting – by Adam Haynes

Love Your Landscape – November 2014

As winter approaches and the days get shorter, a perfect way to brighten your landscape is by adding a low voltage (LV) lighting system.

Though outdoor lighting is also very practical for security reasons, it’s also a great way to create an ambience that enhances your property and creates definition. By […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:31-07:00November 6th, 2014|Featured Stories, Garden, Love Your Landscape|Comments Off on Light-up Your Landscape with Outdoor Lighting – by Adam Haynes

Be Present & Thankful – by Michelle Hensman

Family Views – November 2014

I enjoy observing and learning from parents of all ages and stages. I’m fascinated as I study the unique ways they organize, educate, and inspire their families. After years of doing this, I’ve identified some distinct stages of parenting and some very clear difference between rookie and veteran moms you may […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:31-07:00November 5th, 2014|Family Views, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Be Present & Thankful – by Michelle Hensman

Gastronomic Adventures in the City of Angels – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

We’ve been asked why we don’t include restaurant reviews in our ramblings on all things “entertainment.” The simple answer is that we know better. The servers and chefs of Jacksonville’s dozen eating establishments are almost like family—and we wouldn’t want to create sibling rivalries by touting the efforts of one over another. Acclaimed food critic […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:32-07:00October 31st, 2014|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on Gastronomic Adventures in the City of Angels – by Paula & Terry Erdmann

Fred von Tress – by Kathie Olsen

Everybody Has a Story – November 2014

He doesn’t make a big noise in this town. Maybe you’ve seen him riding his recumbent bike, or playing his banjo, or sipping coffee at Pony Espresso. Maybe you go to church with him. He is just one of those friendly guys you see around town. But Fred von […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:32-07:00October 30th, 2014|Everybody Has a Story, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Fred von Tress – by Kathie Olsen

Loving Linen and Lace – by Margaret Barnes

Speaking of Antiquing – November 2014

Traditional Holiday Dinners evoke many emotions because of the traditions we try to keep, the family members we celebrate with, the family members who are missed or missing, the friends we include, and the items we employ to create the desired effect at the dining table.

Many of us begin our […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:33-07:00October 30th, 2014|Featured Stories, Speaking of Antiquing|Comments Off on Loving Linen and Lace – by Margaret Barnes

Thankful for Many in Southern Oregon’s Health Care System – by Graham Farran

At the moment, I can only wait patiently and repeat my heart-felt goodbyes to my 91 year old mom as she lies in a semi coma on her 10th day of hospice. Although I am so sad to lose my mother, I am at the same time so grateful for the time I have had […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:33-07:00October 30th, 2014|Featured Stories, Let's Talk Real Estate|Comments Off on Thankful for Many in Southern Oregon’s Health Care System – by Graham Farran

What a Nightmare – by Mayor Paul Becker

A Few Minutes with the Mayor – November 2014

The following scenario has not happened, but with all things possible is certainly worth contemplating…

It took months, but the sale of the old courthouse to the We Operate Efficiently Corporation finally went through. WOE had worked at obtaining the building even before the citizens of Jacksonville became […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:34-07:00October 30th, 2014|A Few Minutes with the Mayor, Featured Stories, News Flow|Comments Off on What a Nightmare – by Mayor Paul Becker

Artifacts 2: Cap Guns – by Kyle Crebbin

Digging Jacksonville – November 2014

During the excavation of the Chinese Quarter by the Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology (SOULA) in the Fall of 2013, a multitude of fascinating items were uncovered that can shed light on the experiences of Chinese immigrants living in Jacksonville during the late nineteenth century. Among the most curious of […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:34-07:00October 30th, 2014|Digging Jacksonville, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Artifacts 2: Cap Guns – by Kyle Crebbin

Repertory Singers Usher Audience Into Another World

On Sunday, Oct. 26, the audience at the Bright Orb of Harmony Concert at the SOU Recital Hall in Ashland were ushered into the musically rich world of Dr. Paul French, Director of the Southern Oregon Repertory Singers. It is a world that is substantially richer and more expansive musically than that of virtually anyone […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:35-07:00October 29th, 2014|Featured Stories, Performing Arts|Comments Off on Repertory Singers Usher Audience Into Another World

A Very Different & Delightful Piano Duet Concert

In the November print issue of the Jacksonville Review, I describe the Rogue Valley as a “cornucopia of performing arts” for the volume and variety of performing arts events available. That point has been validated over the last two weeks, by the wide variety of available concerts which I have been able to enjoy and […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:36-07:00October 21st, 2014|Featured Stories, Now, Performing Arts|Comments Off on A Very Different & Delightful Piano Duet Concert

The Literary Gardener: The ‘Truth’ about Chrysanthemums – by Rhonda Nowak

Contemporary autumn gardens are greatly brightened by the sundry colors of cultivated chrysanthemums (C. X morifolium); however, their name comes from the Greek words ‘chrysos’ (gold) and ‘anthos’ (flower) because native species in China were just yellow. For a time, only the nobility in Old China were allowed to grow the sacred chrysanthemum, and the […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:37-07:00October 14th, 2014|Featured Stories, Garden, Literary Gardener|Comments Off on The Literary Gardener: The ‘Truth’ about Chrysanthemums – by Rhonda Nowak

Meaningful Suffering – by Kate Ingram

Soul Matters – October 2014

“No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.” C.G. Jung

I don’t know if it’s the time of year, phase of life, or just my peculiar vantage point, but almost everyone I know is going through some serious suffering. I’m not talking about the […]

By |2014-10-10T13:32:03-07:00September 26th, 2014|Featured Stories, Soul Matters|Comments Off on Meaningful Suffering – by Kate Ingram

Mercury Retrograde – Cosmic Gift to Slow Down – by Louise Lavergne

Joyfull Living – October 2014

October 4th starts a retrograde cycle for the planet Mercury that will last until the 24th. Retrograde is when a planet slows down, stops and appears to move backwards. This is an illusion caused by the Earth passing the slower moving outer planets. This can affect us in different ways depending […]

By |2014-10-10T13:31:51-07:00September 26th, 2014|Featured Stories, Joyfull Living|Comments Off on Mercury Retrograde – Cosmic Gift to Slow Down – by Louise Lavergne

Estate Planning and Antiques: Do They Go Together? – by Joelle Graves

Speaking of Antiquing – October 2014

Having had a background in Fundraising and Major Gifts, I quickly became acquainted with the process of Estate Planning. When meeting with donors, I’d inevitably discover a household full of treasured purchases, either bought by the residents or inherited. Oftentimes, parents would ask me how to plan ahead and who […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:40-07:00September 26th, 2014|Featured Stories, Speaking of Antiquing|Comments Off on Estate Planning and Antiques: Do They Go Together? – by Joelle Graves

Fall is the Best Time to Plant – by Adam Haynes

Love Your Landscape – October 2014

Jacksonville is a wonderful place to enjoy fall colors! If you’ve lived here very long, you’ve probably identified your favorite tree for fall color, whether in your own yard or somewhere in town.

This month, we’ll have a show that lasts several weeks thanks to the large variety of deciduous trees […]

By |2015-03-31T15:37:44-07:00September 26th, 2014|Featured Stories, Garden, Love Your Landscape|Comments Off on Fall is the Best Time to Plant – by Adam Haynes

What goes down must come up! – by Graham Farran

Let’s Talk Real Estate – October 2014

The real estate market in Jackson County continues its recovery this year with the median price of a home increasing by 15% from $195,000 in January, 2014 to $225,000 in August, 2014. The number of homes sold this year is about on par with last year with an average […]

By |2014-10-10T13:35:17-07:00September 26th, 2014|Featured Stories, Let's Talk Real Estate|Comments Off on What goes down must come up! – by Graham Farran

Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery News, October 2014 – by Dirk Siedlecki

Tree Removal—In late August and early September, several people commented about trees that had been cut-down within the cemetery grounds. To explain, there were a number of dead madrone trees and a couple of diseased pines the City had removed. While it’s sad to lose trees, occasional removal is an important factor in providing safety […]

By |2014-09-29T12:58:14-07:00September 25th, 2014|Featured Stories, Historic Cemetery News|Comments Off on Jacksonville’s Historic Cemetery News, October 2014 – by Dirk Siedlecki

Georgia Curran Scott Lind – 20th Century Pioneer

Pioneer Profiles – October 2014

This month I’m taking a break from the ongoing series of stories about 19th Century life in Jacksonville to pay tribute to a special person—Georgia Curran Scott Lind. On August 20, 2014, Jacksonville lost this 20th Century pioneer three weeks short of her 96th birthday. Georgia experienced almost all of the […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:40-07:00September 25th, 2014|Featured Stories, Pioneer Profiles|Comments Off on Georgia Curran Scott Lind – 20th Century Pioneer

Artifacts 1: Picture Frames – by Chelsea Rose, MA, RPA

Digging Jacksonville – October 2014

Over the past few years, you could barely throw a rock without hitting a shovel-wielding, orange vested archaeologist in downtown Jacksonville. Many of the same factors that served to preserve the beautiful buildings that make up our National Historic Landmark, also protected the significant archaeological resources beneath our streets, sidewalks, and […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:40-07:00September 25th, 2014|Digging Jacksonville, Featured Stories|Comments Off on Artifacts 1: Picture Frames – by Chelsea Rose, MA, RPA

And the beat goes on… by Paula & Terry Erdmann

The Unfettered Critic – October 2014

The Britt season has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean our need for live music has ended. We love live music. In fact, as Woody Allen explained in (Terry’s favorite movie), Annie Hall, “Love is too weak a word.” Well, Woody invented some new ones for us: We […]

By |2020-09-30T14:18:41-07:00September 25th, 2014|Featured Stories, The Unfettered Critic|Comments Off on And the beat goes on… by Paula & Terry Erdmann
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