June 2024

City Government

Ashland City Council takes summer break, skips first meetings of July

Ashland City Council will not meet July 1 or July 2 for a “summer break,” according to posts on the city of Ashland website. Council will not meet again until July 15 and July 16. The Homeless Services Master Plan Subcommittee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 2, at 51 Winburn Way. The newly created 2200 Ashland St. Ad Hoc Committee meets at 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at 2200 Ashland St.

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City Government

Homelessness master plan for Ashland almost complete

The due date is fast approaching for a homelessness master plan requested by Ashland City Council. The Homeless Services Master Plan Subcommittee created to produce the plan met Wednesday for what was initially intended to be a final meeting. After two and a half hours of wide ranging discussion, committee members present agreed with a show-of-hands vote to meet one more time after falling short of working through the entire 76 pages of the final draft of the master plan.

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Housing

Oregon Democrats, homeless advocates disappointed in Supreme Court homelessness ruling

Democratic lawmakers, homeless advocates and legal experts in Oregon expressed disappointment Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in the Grants Pass homeless case, while conservatives welcomed the decision. In a 6-3 decision split along partisan lines, the court sided with the Southern Oregon city in its prohibitions against homeless people using blankets, pillows or cardboard to protect themselves in severe weather while sleeping in public places.

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Latest news

Police gather downtown — for a good cause

The Ashland Plaza was alive with police activity early Friday morning, but no crimes were being committed. Officers from Ashland, Eagle Point, Medford and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department were gathered for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics, a fundraiser for Jackson County Special Olympics.

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Housing

U.S. Supreme Court sides with Grants Pass, allows ban on homeless people sleeping outdoors

The U.S. Supreme Court Friday sided with a local ordinance in Oregon that bans homeless people from sleeping outdoors, and local governments will be allowed to enforce those laws. In a 6-3 decision, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote in the opinion that the enforcement of those local laws that regulate camping on public property does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

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Crossword

Crossword: Somos Hermanas

Theme: a celebration of long-time civic and personal connections. Solve crossword directly in the article or download a PDF to print. More crosswords under the Culture menu.

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Fire & Smoke

Upper Applegate Fire caused by mowing dry grass, investigators say

Investigators say the cause of the Upper Applegate Fire was someone mowing dry grass, according to an update late Wednesday from the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District. The fire started Thursday, June 20, south of Ruch and east of the Applegate River about 19 miles west of Ashland.

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Relocations

Relocations: Dare we say it? We need immigrants

Herbert Rothschild: What we haven’t heard in the public forum is informed discussion about whether immigration is desirable. We need that discussion to counter the vilification of immigrants on the one hand and mere altruism on the other.

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Our Sponsors

ScienceWorks Hands-on Museum Subterranean Science In the Dark Ashland Oregon
Camelot Theatre Hansel and Gretel Talent Oregon
Siskiyou Woodcraft Guild Harvest Show of fine woodworking OSF Hay-Patton Rehearsal Center across from Ashland Springs Hotel Ashland Oregon

Latest posts

Art show shines a light on Blacklight

A local artist who arrived in Ashland three years ago is having his first solo art show at the White Rabbit gallery in downtown Ashland. Micah Blacklight has been waiting for the chance to show the personal perspective of an injustice he has witnessed over decades.  

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Our Sponsors

Ashland Climate Collaborative Sreets for Everyone Ashland Oregon
Conscious Design Build Ashland Oregon
Ashland Community Composting Ashland Oregon
Ashland Food Project Building Community Ashland Oregon
Pronto Printing Ashland Medford Southern Oregon
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