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 […]
American Quilter’s Society, the largest quilting membership organization in the world, is pleased to announce that Terri Budesa, of Jacksonville, has been accepted as a contestant with her quilt, Lost in Translation, at AQS QuiltWeek – Fall Paducah, KY.
This week my phone rang off the hook with questions from concerned citizens…all seeking my view on hemp farms and all wondering if Jacksonville was about to be surrounded. Here’s my take on the matter…for now.
With the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, industrial […]
The City Council has selected Mike McClain to fill a vacancy on the City Council following the resignation of David Jesser. McClain has been actively involved in Jacksonville civic matters for several years and is the current Chair of the Budget Committee. He will be sworn into office at the next meeting and […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR – The Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO), led by Maestro Teddy Abrams, returns to southern Oregon for its 57th season with three weeks of exhilarating orchestral programs at the Britt Pavilion in Jacksonville. The annual BFO season begins with a new series for families and people of all musical interests entitled Teddy’s Discovery Tuesdays (TDT), which offer […]
When is a bookstore more than a bookstore? When a longstanding goal, a passion for literature, and the perfect curating team combine forces. Owner, Eileen Bobek had dreamed of opening a bookstore in Jacksonville. Three years ago, with community support, an ideal storefront and the perfect sales assistant in Marcella Bell, the dream came alive. Recently I visited […]
In April 2019, Jacksonville’s Mary Van Horn traveled with members of her Rotary club to Tanzania, Africa. Below, please read a touching piece written by Mary upon her return after reflecting on the experience. Mary notes that the piece is based upon the knowledge and experience gained during the trip, and augmented with information […]
In a solid victory, the “Rogue Pack” Envirothon Team from Logos Public Charter School in Medford earned the highest scores in three of six testing categories, winning first place honors overall at the 23rd annual Oregon State Envirothon held at the Oregon Garden in Silverton, on Friday, May 3. The science team won testing stations in Wildlife Ecology, […]
The dining scene in Jacksonville just keeps getting better. This month I visited three new or evolving places for great eats and tasty treats. First stop, C Street Bistro.
Restaurant meals are only as well-prepared as the chef. At C Street Bistro, we’re blessed to have chef/owner Paul Becking cooking for us. Chef Becking first […]
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 […]
Don’t miss the 53rd Annual Children’s Festival! Special Agents, detectives and imagination will take center stage this year as we put on our Special Agent fedora hats and grab our magnifying glasses. Sponsored by the Storytelling Guild of Jackson County, this innovative 3-day event will take place July 13-15 at the Britt Festival Grounds in Jacksonville and will […]
Linda and Bill Graham, owners of Scheffel’s Toys & More, are proud to carry an exclusive, new Ravensburger puzzle featuring one of Bill’s photographs of Crater Lake. After Linda had searched in vain for a high-quality Crater Lake puzzle and learned there were none on the market, she worked through a program offered […]
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 […]
The entire community is invited to join Mayor Paul Becker in a July 4th celebration on the lawn of New City Hall. The festivities will take place from noon-3:00pm. As in year’s past, plenty of seating and tables will be provided and the city will be serving complimentary hot dogs, water, chips, etc. […]
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 […]
Is your property fire season ready? The countdown is on, and fire season arrives soon, ready or not. Dry conditions, weather uncertainties, and human carelessness all carry the unknowns of how, when and where fire will spark. The question remaining is, what combustibles are available to fuel its path of destruction? As we’ve witnessed to our horror […]
Just outside of Jacksonville in the Applegate Valley stands the humble Woodrat Mountain, an unassuming peak in the Siskiyou mountain range. Despite its prosaic name, Woodrat is quite an exceptional site. In fact, from the months of April to October, Woodrat and the Applegate Valley offer some of the best conditions in the world for paragliding. Paragliding is […]
The 11th Annual AAUW Spring Garden Tour is on Saturday, June 8, 2019, 10:00am-4:00pm and features two Jacksonville gardens on 3rd Street. There are four more gardens in Medford to complete this year’s tour where guests can gather new ideas and enjoy viewing the beauty and variety provided.
The first Jacksonville garden was […]
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 […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt’s 2019 full season line-up goes on sale to the general public starting at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 10. At this writing, tickets are still available for all concerts in the 2019 lineup, with Chicago reserved seating full and limited seating remaining on several other shows. In addition, the “Best of Britt” event […]
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.
The Jacksonville Garden Club will hold its annual Spring Sale on Saturday, May 11, from 9:00am-3:00pm in the alcove next to the Post Office on Oregon Street. Club members will be on hand to create lovely arrangements from fresh-cut spring flowers—for Mother’s Day or a nice gift to yourself or a friend. Perennials, succulents, vegetable starts, herb gardens, […]
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 […]
The Jacksonville Garden Club’s annual Spring Sale will be held in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, May 11, 2019, from 9:00am to 3:00pm in the alcove next to the Post Office on North Oregon Street. The sale features fresh-cut spring flowers arranged in bouquets by Club artists. Members have been busy this spring potting up interesting […]
A new enterprise at 235 West Main Street, launched by Gabrielle Pullen, now offers learning resources for locals and tourists alike. Expanding an online presence that Pullen recently relocated from the Seattle area, “Your Life Matters, Inc.” offers a triune approach to improving quality of life: Feldenkrais lessons for ease of physical tension which is […]
By mid-April, Kimball’s Artisan Wines will be open at 120 S. 3rd Street, just across from the South Stage Cellars tasting room. The new shop is located in the space that housed Tobiano clothing boutique for 22 years. The new shop is a small, family-owned, neighborhood wine shop focusing on sustainably farmed and produced artisan […]
“When most people come in and start looking around they say, ‘“Oh, this reminds me of my grandmother’s house, or my mother used to have this,’” says Margaret Barnes, one of four partners of Pickety Place Antiques and Collectibles. I recently visited with her about this treasured Jacksonville fixture.
Pickety Place has been drawing treasure seekers […]
In January, Dustin Jernigan joined the community as the new lead pastor of Jacksonville Presbyterian Church. “We had never heard of Jacksonville, Oregon,” says Dustin when telling the story of how he and his wife, Caroline, found themselves visiting on a miraculously clear day this past September. The church’s search committee had prayed for the […]
Annette McGregor recently sold her beloved “Forty Five Coffee” shop which is now called “Cerberus Coffee.” New owners Cody Gordon and Kristina Marie bring their shared passion for good eats, good sips, and good company to new friends and neighbors. Kristina (who prefers to go by Tina) and Cody have lived in the Applegate Valley […]
Vote by Mail Ballots Delivered
Ballots for the May 21, 2019 Special Districts Election will be delivered to the USPS processing facility on May 03, 2019. Ballots will begin being delivered to mailing addresses starting the next day. If you do not receive a ballot by Friday, May 10, 2019, and you are […]
When you step through Ganjes’ old wooden front door, you may find yourself in an exotic marketplace full of colorful linens. Or back in time with an old-fashioned Misty Rivers soda and Reeds butterscotch hard candy. Or, you may just take home a Curious Little Fingers’ Freckles the […]
MEDFORD, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival has been notified that due to unforeseen circumstances the Alanis Morissette concert scheduled for Sunday, June 23, 2019 has been canceled.
Due to this change, Britt Members and Business Partners who have submitted ticket orders for this concert will be contacted to inform them of […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival has announced the remaining concert schedule for 2019 at its annual Music & Comedy Season Announcement Party on Thursday, April 11, unveiling 16 more concerts for the summer festival, with wide variety and big names. Highlights of the announcement include 90’s pop icon Alanis Morissette […]
Watch out Jacksonville for poems that will be drifting your way on Saturday, April 13 in downtown, starting at high noon. April is National Poetry Month and was created in 1996 to spotlight poetry. Since then, it has been celebrated nationwide in a variety of ways, including the illumination of the Empire State Building. In […]
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 […]
The Family Nurturing Center’s Farm and Food Program and the Southern Oregon Historical Society will co-host Sundays in Spring 2019 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 7 and 14, and May 5 and 19 at historic Hanley Farm, 1053 Hanley Road, Central Point. Stroll the beautiful gardens, orchards, vineyards and producing fields at […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — With its second season announcement for 2019, Britt Music & Arts Festival is adding a variety of popular music artists to the summer Music & Comedy line-up with several returning artists and a couple of new bands for the Britt audiences. The first concert from this set of concerts features Jim James, […]
Britt announces classic country star Kris Kristofferson & The Strangers will perform during “Best of Britt”, an annual summer fundraising event benefiting Britt Education & Engagement, happening Monday, July 1, 2019.
In its seventh year, the “Best of Britt” is a popular Britt extravaganza featuring a fun-filled evening of food, spirits and music on the Britt […]
Every year, the Land Steward Program at the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center holds a one-day conference offering up to 28 classes on subjects of interest to landowners. This year, the Living on Your Land conference partners with Tree School Rogue for a combined offering covering a wealth of timely topics.
The event is held […]
“Sometimes you just need different walls to look at,” Rosie Taylor reminded us. I had to agree. Rosie is the proud owner of The Miners’ Bazaar Project Café, Bar and Boutique in Jacksonville. I mean, a change of pace and scenery are why we take vacations, right? But what if you could indulge in a […]
Don and Lynn Reordan of Jacksonville Physical Therapy have helped people overcome a wide range of orthopedic issues in their office at 635 N. Fifth Street for over twenty years. Folks come to them suffering everything from headaches to back pain and leave feeling listened to, cared for and optimistic about their treatment options. I […]
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 […]
JACKSONVILLE, OR — Britt Music & Arts Festival announces its first installment of concerts for the 2019 season this summer. The first of three season announcements presents an extensive assortment of musical artists, including the brassy melodies of Chicago, classical-pop antics of the Piano Guys, 90’s reggae-rock of Sublime With Rome, and returning for another […]
I wear several hats. One as your Mayor which has priority over all others. Another hat is the “movie guy.” The third is Randall Theatre board member. That’s the hat I’m wearing as I write this.
Remember when the theater moved to Jacksonville in 2017? The only facility large enough for the Randall to operate was […]
We know about dwindling snowpack, polar ice caps, and increasing wildfire risk, but these aren’t the only climate change consequences we are experiencing. Among the creatures that are most seriously compromised by the climate trends we are witnessing and will suffer into the future are our insect friends. While many of us think of insects […]
MEDFORD, OREGON – The 2019 Britt Festival Orchestra (BFO) season begins on July 23 with the launch of a new concert series that will take place on each Tuesday of the BFO season: July 23, July 30, and August 6. Titled “Teddy’s Discovery Tuesdays”, this new series takes the place of the orchestra’s traditional Pops […]
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 […]