For just a few minutes, it was like old times for Ashland High School graduate Luke Hogan Laurenson. The now 19-year-old, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy and dysarthria, a speech disability, danced about the gymnasium at Walker Elementary on March 21 with his mom in tow, during a special assembly commemorating Disability Awareness Month.
An Ashland elementary school teacher is helping a colleague raise money so her son can attend Southern Oregon University this fall.
A live pit orchestra is returning to the spring musical after being on hiatus since the pandemic. Ashland High School Theater is preparing for its opening weekend of its spring musical, Roald Dahl’s “Matilda,” which opens officially on Saturday evening. A “pay-what-you-will” showing is available for the community at 7 p.m. Friday.
Students from three elementary schools cheered on the Southern Oregon University women’s basketball team to a 65-49 win Friday, Feb. 23, against Walla Walla. The Raiders beat Corban 71-55 Tuesday, advancing SOU to host No. 4 seed Eastern Oregon at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the conference tournament semifinals.
Dozens of parents gathered in a room at TRAILS Outdoor School on Walker Avenue on Monday for a meeting with school officials after an educational assistant at the school was placed on paid administrative leave on Feb. 21 after the district belatedly learned of allegations of “sexual abuse/misconduct” that happened in 2022 at an off-campus location.
An investigative wing of the Oregon Department of Human Services failed to alert Ashland School District that a male employee of TRAILS Outdoor School participated in sexual misconduct toward a minor in 2022, according to ASD officials.
Ashland School Board has selected Dr. Joseph Hattrick, the current superintendent of Rainier School District in the city of Rainier, Oregon, about an hour northwest of Portland, as its next superintendent. During a special online-only session, school board members voted 5-0 Tuesday evening to select Hattrick as new superintendent of Ashland schools, a position he will fill officially on July 1.
The next superintendent will likely be announced during an online-only special session planned for Tuesday evening, following a vote on a new contract with the Ashland School Board.
Ashland High School athletic trainer Eric Lang, who has been employed by Asante for the past 18 months but works at the high school, has been laid off, according to a newsletter distributed by Ashland School District to students and families on Friday. Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove confirmed the layoff of Lang is not tied to the school district’s recent actions to cut $1.3 million from the school district’s budget.
Rotary Club of Ashland names Ashland High School students Aurora Graham and Luna Dygert as Students of the Month for January, February.
Mt. Ashland Ski Area’s first new chairlift in more than three decades will open this weekend. The Lithia Chair will open at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, giving skiers and snowboarders greater access to easy and intermediate slopes, according to a release issued Tuesday from the nonprofit ski area.
Review: This year’s production of “A Christmas Carol,” playing at the CTP and directed by Tommy Statler, is original, imaginative and lighter than last year’s production of the same. The story of the miserly curmudgeon who finds redemption in the meaning of Christmas keeps with the spirit of the season.
The Salvation Army in Jackson and Josephine counties is pleading for volunteers to help ring in the holidays during the annual Red Kettle donations campaign as the organization faces a critical shortage of staff. “We are sounding the alarm,” said Capt. Yohani Ortiz with The Salvation Army Grants Pass.
Obituary: It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Patricia “Patti” Ann Metz (Seely), a devoted mother, friend, and pillar of the Rogue Valley community in Southern Oregon for the past 44 years. On Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, Patti left us at the age of 86, after a long illness, leaving behind a legacy of love, kindness, and unwavering dedication to those she cherished.
Real Estate Corner: I’ve been noticing an interesting trend. There’s movement both ways — people discovering Ashland as their dream destination and others leaving for the next chapter in their lives. So, what’s driving these shifts? Let’s examine why people are moving to (and from) our fantastic town.
Ashland’s TC Chevy has shifted into high gear on sustainability, becoming a shining example of clean energy innovation with the addition of three new Stracker solar arrays to its existing five units. The dealership now is in a position to run entirely on sun power, achieving net-zero status and proving that the road to a greener future starts at home.
(It’s free)