An anonymous $890,000 donation to the Ashland Schools Foundation not only helped ease the district’s budget crisis — it sparked a wave of gratitude that caught national attention. The community’s response, especially from students, led to a feature on the Kelly Clarkson Show, set to air on Oct. 16.
Students returned to seven district campuses across the Ashland School District for the first full day of school Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Classes start for all Ashland students on Tuesday, Aug. 26, as the 2025-26 school year kicks off and, with it, some new leadership at Ashland schools, including new interim principals Francisco Lopez Atanes at Ashland High School and Susan Hollandsworth at Helman Elementary School.
Ashland School District officials plan to make arrangements over the weekend to relocate an alternative education program from Lincoln School to Ashland High School following the emergency closure of the nearly 100-year-old building after an annual inspection by the city fire marshal turned up severe structural issues.
UPDATE: The Lincoln School in Ashland was closed on Thursday by the city’s Fire Marshal following a fire inspection. The closure impacts two educational programs housed at Lincoln. The district is working to contact families about where their children will attend classes on Monday.
Classes aren’t back in session just yet, but there were lessons learned this week at Talent Middle School and Phoenix High School. A training exercise on Monday was months in the making, involving Phoenix, Talent and Ashland police departments and upwards of 100 volunteers, including Phoenix High School football players and students, staff and parent volunteers.
Through a partnership with Jackson Care Connect, Phoenix-Talent School District is hosting its first Healthy Start Block Party at Phoenix High School from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23. The free community fair will offer a wide range of free resources to local students and their families, including from Talent and Ashland.
The Japan All-Star Team shut out the South Valley Wolfpack — an Ashland and Phoenix team — in the 18th Pacific Rim Bowl, a historic cultural exchange between Ashland High School and Japan’s All-Stars that started in 1988.
Former Southern Oregon University President Roy Saigo asked the audience at the third Pacific Rim Bowl Peace Ceremony on Tuesday at Lithia Park’s Butler Bandshell to take a trip with him back to the early days of World War II when his family was ripped from its home.
Dr. Hideko Tamura-Snider gave a spirited message of optimism and hope for the future of the Pacific Rim Bowl and its participants, organizers, and supporters on Tuesday, July 22, during the third PRB Peace Ceremony at Lithia Park’s Butler Bandshell.
The art exhibition of a renowned American artist living in Ashland has opened at the Langford Art Gallery in Phoenix. The exhibition “Beneath the Surface” features dozens of paintings by artist Abby Lazerow. The artist describes her work as “the search for human connection.”
Ashland’s 15th annual SOPride Festival brought together students, educators, activists and dozens of local groups on Saturday, Oct. 4 for the event’s parade in downtown Ashland.
Saying the Trump administration directly contravened her Saturday order blocking the federal government from mobilizing National Guard troops in Portland, a federal judge on Sunday evening issued a broader order barring the federal government from relocating National Guard members to Oregon from any state.
Hours after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from mobilizing 200 Oregon National Guard troops in Portland, the federal government began sending California National Guard troops to Oregon. Gov. Tina Kotek said Sunday that she’s aware that 101 California troops arrived in Oregon via plane overnight and that more were on their way.
Kicked off by a “Wheely Fun Parade” and morning 10K, 5K and 1-mile races hosted by Southern Oregon Runners, the 54th annual Talent Harvest Festival brought thousands to the downtown core Saturday for a day of food, music and fun.
Three long first-quarter touchdown plays positioned No. 8-ranked Montana Western to run away with its first-ever road win against Southern Oregon, 40-20, in the teams’ Frontier Conference West Division opener on Saturday at Raider Stadium’s Laurel Field.
(It’s free)
