On a 4-2 vote, the Ashland City Council on Tuesday approved a contract with a nonprofit organization to operate a new shelter at 2200 Ashland St. Options for Housing Resources and Assistance (OHRA) has agreed to operate the 30-bed shelter for 71 days of 24/7 staffing at a cost of no more than $200,000.
Ashland Fire & Rescue has new resources and a new vision for the future. In July, three new first responders were hired for the department, but unlike the hires of the past they are not necessarily firefighters but “single-role” staff — they are focused on wrangling medical calls.
The developer who, after multiple delays due to appeals of project approvals, withdrew his application to build 230 much-needed housing units just north of Ashland talks to Ashland.news about his reasons and whether he’ll be back.
The city of Ashland has scheduled an open house for its newly acquired emergency shelter site at 2200 Ashland St. from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the site, be introduced to the work done so far and “receive an operational orientation.”
Get to know Leslie Eldridge, the SOU professor and Ashland Parks & Recreation Commission commissioner who resigned to take on a boots-on-the-ground role overseeing parks when the previous director left.
A large housing project planned for Ashland was apparently scrapped by its developer Tuesday night after years of delays and appeals. “I don’t do this lightly. … I first applied in 2014, took me five years to even get the application in. With this information here, I have to withdraw, but I will be back,” the developer said.
Concerns, questions and goals for the new emergency homeless shelter at 2200 Ashland St. were up for discussion Monday as the Ashland City Council hosted a forum in place of its usual study session. The shelter will offer beds and services to 30 individuals selected through an application process. It is currently expected to open by Nov. 1, and will have funding to remain open until Jan. 10.
The next building block for Ashland’s housing future fell into place Sept. 20, when the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (OLDC) approved the city’s new Housing Production Strategy (HPS) — the first such approval in the state. The 167-page strategy actually contains 15 separate strategies, ranging from purely educational efforts to significant changes in codes and ordinances, as well as potential funding mechanisms to achieve affordability and equity goals.
Ashland residents will have two opportunities to weigh in on a possible ordinance to prohibit natural gas hookups in new residential construction. The Climate and Environmental Policy and Advisory Committee (CEPAC) will hold public comment sessions to present information, answer questions and listen to residents before pursuing the possible ordinance.
Ashland City Council’s Monday evening study session will focus on the new shelter at 2200 Ashland St. The meeting will include 15 minutes of time for public comment, a City Council discussion, an “operations overview” presentation and a presentation from the city’s possible contractor to run shelter operations — Options for Helping Residents of Ashland (OHRA).
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)
