Longtime record store owner Robbie Petterson only signed a two-year lease for his newest store, Shattered Music, in downtown Ashland. He says he’s not in it for the long haul or to make money — he’s in it to sell music and talk about music.
Curtain Call: Had it not been for a Maltipoo named Ollie — and a conductor named Martin — Liane Alitowski may never have decided to make Ashland her new home. The longtime performer, educator and writer became captivated by Ashland’s charms during a visit last year. Now she is a pianist for the Rogue Valley Symphony.
One of the nation’s most unique cellists begins his West Coast tour in Ashland this week. “Rushadicus” (Rushad Eggleston) take to the stage at Oberon’s Thursday, Aug. 1. The artists’ provocative performances have launched him into the spotlight. Ashland is the first stop on an 18-city tour that includes Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles.
Senior year of high school can be hard enough without navigating a cancer diagnosis, chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, but Ashland High School graduate and Ashland City Band bassoonist James Dyson navigated all these things and more before turning his tassel and graduating with high marks on June 6.
Curtain Call: The Rogue Vally Symphony will launch its own blockbuster, “Hollywood’s Greatest Hits,” at 7:30 pm. Friday, Aug. 23 and at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 24 and 25. All three summer pops concerts will be performed at Medford’s Craterian Theater.
Chalk one up for customized awnings. Visiting Ashland last year, Asadour Santourian saw the Rogue Valley Symphony awning over its office on Lithia Way and stopped in to introduce himself. Now the former vice president of artistic administration of the Aspen Music Festival, artistic director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, lecturer for the L.A. Philharmonic and director of artistic planning for the Minnesota Orchestra, among other things, is the RVS’ new operations manager.
Review: In mid-June, a series of small events took place to celebrate the premiere of the moving and poignant filmed chamber opera, “Dreams Have No Borders,” presented at the Varsity Theatre over a weekend, sharing experiences from the Oregon Latino community.
The Ashland Folk Collective is closing out June with a concert this weekend while reaching toward a fundraising campaign goal of $50,000 for future shows. AFC’s next show, featuring the Oliver Wood Trio, is set for this Saturday, June 29, at Roxy Ann Winery. Wood is a member of the roots band the Wood Brothers.
Live music, dancing and family fun will happen Sunday at The Crest Fest at the Willow-Witt Ranch. Activities will run from 2 to 6 p.m. at Willow-Witt, located at 658 Shale City Road. Admission is $25 for adults and $10 for youth under age 18.
Summertime in Ashland is about to be amplified by the reappearance of the Ashland City Band with weekly concerts coming back each Thursday in Lithia Park. Every Thursday from June 20 to Aug. 15, the longstanding band will play a range of tunes that include classic compositions, American marches, and lesser-known classical pieces.
The Oregon Legislature is meeting this week to consider some major cuts to current spending levels as a large revenue deficit looms. That’s because the state’s tax code automatically replicates new federal tax cuts, including ones passed by Congressional Republicans this summer that will reduce state revenue
Michael O’Looney: Trump and the Texas Legislature are responsible for a partisan power grab that has unleashed bitterness and partisan vindictiveness, all in an effort to subvert an electoral system for partisan ends.
Councilor Bob Kaplan: While the cost of delivering kilowatt-hours to our homes has risen, Ashland Electric has been able to hold our rates steady with just one increase of 5.1% in 2021. I’m sorry to say we’re due for an increase, but fortunately it’s not likely to match recent increases elsewhere.
An estimate for the cost to abate asbestos found in the shuttered Lincoln School recently should be available as early as sometime this week, according to Steve Mitzel, operations director for Ashland School District. The cost to remove asbestos would be separate from the as yet-unknown cost for structural repair.
“We are still here” was the theme for Saturday’s Native American Heritage Celebration at Southern Oregon University, hosted by the SOU Native American Student Union (NASU) and SOU Native Nations Liaison Kenwanicahee (Kenwani) Kravitz (Madesi Bandi, Pit River Nation Winnemem, Nomtipom and Nomsus Bands Northern Wintu).
As Oregon lawmakers stare down a deficit of at least $373 million over the next two years — and brace for the possibility of a bigger shortfall in the state’s next quarterly revenue — they asked state agencies to create lists of ways to cut 5% of their approved budgets.
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