Richard Carey: Guilt can relentlessly hobble aspirations toward personal happiness and inner peace. It often is the main driver of the need for personal redemption and transcendence.
Jim Hawes: Bill Samuel says that the child (wonder, joy, and enthusiasm) is available any time or age atop what he calls the mountain of struggle.
Inner Peace: Sally McKirgan passed away on Sunday, July 21, at the age of 82. Sally conceived the idea of the Inner Peace column in December 2008. Sally felt the column was perfect for her beloved Ashland, with its “many gifted spiritual teachers and seekers.”
Jim Hatton: Those who believe in the principle of Omnipresence would maintain that God is everywhere, all the time. Yet, if one is looking for God in a certain place, it must mean that God is not in the place where the search is starting! It is such a saddening thought that God is only in certain places.
Annie Katz: Day by day, knowing that my behaviors ripple out into the world in ways I can’t predict, I can do my best to make the traces I leave behind sparkle with generosity, kindness and joy.
Moshe Ross: When we say “meditation,” that could mean many things. The essence we seek in meditating is God-contact.
Jim Hatton: I remember learning at an early age in my metaphysics class that the anti-war movement in the ’60s simply created more war.
Sally McKirgan: On the journey to peace, we come to many obstacles along the way. All of them are to be forgiven. All!
Janai Mestrovich: The epiphany that came to me when they dropped me off at the hotel was that if I had been judgmental because of their appearance and where they lived, I would still be lost and the search party would be marching around New York City to find me.
Annie Katz: Less stuff means more space for creativity and joy. I’ve found that the fewer objects around me, the more peaceful I feel.
Carrie Dahle: More ADUs could gently expand our housing options while staying aligned with the look and feel of our existing neighborhoods. A homeowner on a fixed income might finally be able to stay because rental income helps keep them afloat.
As 2025 turns the corner into 2026, the time between three Ashland murder cases and solving the mysteries of who’s responsible keeps getting longer. Will the killing of Matthew “Oostburg” Vandersande in September join those of David Grubbs and Dave Lewis as cold cases?
Picture This: A reflection of the year through Ashland.news photographer Bob Palermini’s camera.
In state and national news, many Oregonians stood out for standing up. From protests and marches against Trump and his administration’s policies, to dozens of lawsuits against the federal government. Massive spending and tax cut packages that passed in Washington D.C. and Salem dominated this year’s political coverage
Obituary: Vincent Paul Shubat died on Dec. 19, 2025, at the age of 90, leaving behind a wide circle of family, friends, and acquaintances. Vince lived a life defined by curiosity, courage, and connection.
Black Alliance & Social Empowerment (BASE) Southern Oregon hosted a Kwanzaa celebration Sunday at the Historic Ashland Armory, featuring music, dancing, youth presentations and a candle lighting ceremony.
(It’s free)
