Councilor Jeff Dahle: While I respect the intent behind that proposal (to require a public vote on new taxes and fees), I do not support the petitioner’s request of the City Council to mandate that it be placed on the ballot without requiring the petitioner to follow the same established process that applies to all initiatives.
Councilor Dylan Bloom: Next November, Ashlanders may decide whether any new or increased utility fees must be approved by voters. I do not support that policy. But I do support the City Council placing the measure on the ballot rather than requiring the petitioner, George Kramer, to gather signatures.
On Oct. 11, the city of Ashland conducted a full-scale Community Wildfire Evacuation Drill, engaging more than 300 residents, local agencies and partner organizations in a coordinated evacuation exercise.
Karen Smith: Requiring a public vote on every issue would reduce decision-making to a crawl and create much more conflict with endless debate.
Herbert Rothschild: Vladimir Putin has said he is willing to abide for one more year by the limits on nuclear arms in the New START treaty while another treaty is being negotiated. Our immediate task is to convince Donald Trump to accept that offer. Don’t react to this call to action in a knee-jerk fashion. Trump wants to be seen as an international peacemaker.
Cori Frank: I was privileged to attend the groundbreaking ceremony on Oct. 2 for 19 pickleball courts in Medford. This will be an economic boon to the city.
Chris Millias: Both Republicans and Democrats seem to wait until the last possible moment to act. By turning every policy deadline into a crisis, they create leverage for their side — but at the cost of responsible governing.
Pepper Trail: This is the constant dissonance so many of us face. That is, the lucky ones, like myself, who are citizens, who are white, who are not in economic crisis, who live surrounded by beautiful wild places that nurture our souls and provide refuge from the daily deluge of nightmarish news. What are we to do?
The funds collected through the food and beverage tax support essential city projects, such as street repairs, land acquisition and capital improvements.
Herbert Rothschild: In 2024, Democrats had the same problem with Hispanic voters that they did with other moderate-to-low income voters. There’s a general perception out there that the Democratic Party abandoned its traditional championing of the working class.
As of Nov. 3, Ashland Community Food Bank has a new director at the reins. Catie Mahoney will serve in the role with guidance from outgoing director Amey Broeker, who will officially retire on Dec. 31 after serving in the food bank role since 2022.
The Ashland City Council will review a proposal from a potential provider to oversee its extreme weather shelter during its regular business meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
The Ashland Independent Film Festival has added a second screening showcasing Indigenous filmmakers on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Three and a half years into the war with Russia, Ashland violinist and longtime music teacher Faina Podolnaya is still finding ways to help Ukrainian refugees.
Herbert Rothschild: As the number of ads in The New Yorker has shrunk, it seems as if the wealth of its readership has concentrated, just as one might concentrate the flavor of a sauce by reducing it on the stovetop.
Local artist MaryAnn Shank will share the thoughts behind her newest novel “Sor Juana, My Beloved” at Bloomsbury Books Jan. 26. Shank is a finalist of The Isabel Allende Most Inspirational Book of the Year 2025 award, awarded by the International Latino Book Association.
(It’s free)
