The Ashland City Council discussed forestalling the process of filling the vacant city manager’s position until January during Monday’s study session, and heard a report that said climate change is expected to bring temperatures up to 70 degrees earlier in the year and to last longer into autumn, creating an increase in water demand.
Douglas fir trees are dying at a rapid rate throughout Ashland’s municipal forests. The Ashland Forest Plan has been adjusted to meet the moment with a project using helicopters to remove dead and dying trees from the steep slopes of the lower watershed and nearby Siskiyou Mountain Park.
A new ordinance to limit where, when and how someone can sleep on the streets of Ashland is up for a first reading at the City Council meeting Tuesday. If the ordinance becomes city law, its objective would be “to differentiate between those who genuinely lack alternatives and use public spaces out of necessity, and those who have access to suitable alternative spaces and shelter but instead willfully exploit public spaces for personal gain or advantage,” according to a draft of the ordinance.
Sunday night’s forecast low of 30 degrees triggered the opening of Ashland’s severe weather shelter at 2200 Ashland St. for the first time this season — only three days after a training for potential volunteers was held in the space. Saturday afternoon, the city announced the severe weather shelter would open both Sunday and Monday nights, Nov. 19 and 20.
The Ashland City Council will discuss hiring a recruiting firm or appointing an individual on a “pro tem” or temporary basis to fill the city manager position during council’s Monday study session. Council will also hear a presentation on water rate forecasting from Public Works Director Scott Fleury.
Representatives from the cities of Ashland and Medford are expected to join rabbis from local synagogues on the Ashland Plaza on Sunday afternoon to mark the beginning of Antisemitism Awareness Week, according to a news release issued by Temple Emek Shalom of Ashland.
Following the open application process for the city of Ashland’s Early Childhood Affordability Grant Program that launched in September, two have been selected among several applications received. The two applicants that met the grant criteria and are slated to be awarded funds are the Ashland Family YMCA and Children’s World Montessori.
Ashland’s Oak Knoll Golf course will be closed all through December for a variety of maintenance needs, the city of Ashland has announced.From Dec. 1 to 31, all nine greens, the clubhouse and the driving range will be closed with no public access.
A small number of Ashland residents turned out Tuesday morning to talk to city councilors and staff about issues on their minds. To escape the late fall chill, Southern Oregon University hosted the event at the Hannon Library with SOU President Rick Bailey and other university staff in attendance.
What can you do to keep a roof over your head? To answer that question, organizers of an annual forum on housing resources invited a plethora of organizations seeking to help offer answers on such issues as homelessness, rent insecurity, legal conflicts with landlords or buying a home for the first time.
Obituary: Margaret McCartney died Dec. 4 at 83. Memorial services are planned for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 11, at Trinity Episcopal Church, 44 N. 2nd St., Ashland.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has announced plans to offer free opioid overdose reversal kits to middle and high schools throughout the state. Ashland Superintendent Samuel Bogdanove shared his support for the increase in availability of Narcan, the brand name for a device that delivers naloxone, to Oregon schools, including in Ashland.
With local rescue groups still overflowing with cats and kittens, those wishing to bring home a new family member for the holidays will have opportunities to do so on two upcoming December weekends. On Saturday, Dec. 9, Ashland-based Friends of the Animals (formerly Friends of the Animal Shelter) will partner with Feral Cat Advocacy (FCA), Melly Cat Rescue, and Hero Tails Animal Sanctuary for a Feline Fair at the Rogue Valley Mall.
Dozens of area residents ushered in a spirited first night of Hanukkah on Thursday, gathering on the Ashland Plaza late Thursday afternoon to light the first flames on the menorah.
Charles “Al” Huth: We can expand our potential to build true knowledge by altering what we spend time focusing on in our daily lives. In short, search for the Truth.
Herbert Rothschild: Apparently, Kissinger insisted on recording practically every word he said. His aides later commented that he needed to keep track of which lie he told to whom.
(It’s free)
