March 7, 2025

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Culture

Crater Lake named best national park for stargazing

Crater Lake has been named the nation’s best national park for stargazing. Crater Lake topped the national list with an index score of 100 out a 100 in a study conducted by the vacation rental site, Lake.com. The rating was based on data from the National Park Service’s Night Sky Collection Site, which scored every national park out of 100 points based on the average percentage of stars visible and the average median light pollution.

January 31, 2025

Events

Figure skating performance Saturday at First Frost

First Frost, a family friendly community skate event, is set for 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink, 95 Winburn Way, Ashland. The evening begins with a Southern Oregon Figure Skating performance from 4 to 4:30 p.m., followed by open skating with music by DJ Tuffshed.

December 20, 2024

Environment

17th annual Bear Creek Salmon Festival: Fish, watershed & Native history

The Bear Creek Salmon Festival is returning with plenty to learn, see and experience at Ashland’s North Mountain Park Nature Center on Saturday, Oct. 12. Now in its 17th year, the festival celebrates the seasonal cycle of Pacific northwest salmon species, environmental stewardship and community.

October 7, 2024

City Government

$1M grant awarded for long-awaited East Main Park

Ashland Parks and Recreation has been awarded a $1 million grant to ensure the creation of East Main Park with a pump track for bikes and a dog park. Other features may be in play for the city’s first new park in years, but final costs and designs are still underway, said Ashland Parks and Recreation Director Rocky Houston.

September 27, 2024

Events

Track wheelchair program coming to Lithia Park as autumn begins

Those with mobility challenges will soon be able to access a special track chair enabling previously impossible exploration of Lithia Park. The nonprofit David’s Chair, working in partnership with Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission, will launch the program by giving demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at the Lithia Park Cabin at 340 S. Pioneer St.

September 10, 2024

City Government

Ashland’s new parks director self-identifies as ‘boring’

As he moves into his new position as Ashland Parks & Recreation Director, Rocky Houston wants to have a foundational knowledge of what he calls the basics: More strategic planning, more maps, firm numbers and data on the total acreage of parks in Ashland, what level of service is needed at each park and how can parks be more equitable and efficient with where and how services are provided?

September 3, 2024

City Government

Position open on Ashland Senior Advisory Committee

A spot is open on the Ashland Senior Advisory Committee to help guide activities and resources made available to seniors by Ashland Parks & Recreation, according to an APRC release. Interested applicants have until Aug. 30 to seek the spot, according to the posting. To apply, visit the APRC page for the application form.

August 13, 2024

History

Butler-Perozzi Fountain work moves ahead

The fundraising campaign for the restoration of the historic Butler-Perozzi fountain in Lithia Park is nearing completion following a $20,000 grant awarded by the State Historic Preservations Office’s Preserving Oregon Grant Program.

July 24, 2024

City Government

Ashland Parks & Recreation to announce new director Wednesday, sources say

Ashland Parks & Recreation Commissioners intend to announce a new, permanent hire for the director position at their business meeting Wednesday, according to sources with knowledge of the hiring process who spoke ahead of a public announcement on the condition they be anonymous.

June 11, 2024

Events

Hundreds celebrate Children’s Day at Ashland Japanese Garden

More than 400 community members turned out Sunday afternoon for Ashland Japanese Garden’s first year celebrating Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day, a national holiday celebrated in Japan on May 5. Children’s Day is “a celebration of children’s individuality and strength, and really celebrating children’s identity in Japan.”

May 5, 2024

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Latest posts

Lomakatsi: Fed funds freeze means employee layoffs, fewer prescribed burns

March 7, 2025

Forest restoration and wildfire mitigation projects have been halted and employees laid off as freezes of federal funds impact Lomakatsi Restoration Project, an Ashland-based nonprofit organization. Nearly two of every three dollars — 65% — of the nonprofit’s budget for 2025 came from the Inflation Reduction Act or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — two pots of money affected by broad freezes of federal funds by the Trump administration.

Dem state attorney generals sue over ‘reckless and illegal’ mass firings of probationary federal workers

March 7, 2025

A group of 20 attorneys general are suing the Trump administration over mass layoffs of probationary federal employees, which they claim is illegal and is causing irreparable harm to their states. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined in the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court of Maryland on Thursday.

Marsh authors bill that would create $1 billion fund to aid utilities in paying wildfire victims

March 7, 2025

After a series of low-profile meetings with Salem power brokers and utility officials, state Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) confirms to the Oregon Journalism Project that she has crafted legislation to create a $1 billion fund to help utilities pay damages to customers hurt by utility-caused wildfires.

Viewpoint: Two separate Rogue Valley organizations support Ukrainians

March 7, 2025

Scott Bandoroff: The humans impacted by the war in Ukraine are rightfully at the center of current news cycles. Many citizens in the Rogue Valley may not understand just how many Ukrainian refugees are here in our own community.

Obituary: Mark K. Brown

March 7, 2025

Obituary: Ashland based journalist and videographer Mark K. Brown, 79, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family after a courageous battle with cancer. A celebration of life is being planned this spring.

Ashland High School presents ‘Little Women: The Musical’ this weekend

March 7, 2025

Theatergoers looking for a fresh take on a timeless, literary adventure — with a whole lot of wit and whimsy to go along with it — should check out Ashland High School Theater’s spring musical production of “Little Women” opening this weekend with performances at 7 p.m. Friday, March 7, and Saturday, March 8, at Mountain Avenue Theatre, with an afternoon matinee at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 9.

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