Poetry Corner: It’s that time of the year for organizing end-of-year tasks and thinking about turning the calendar page to a new year. If you have a poem for any holiday that celebrates with light, even if not at this time of the year — Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Lantern Festival, Lunar New Year, New Year’s, or any other festivity where light plays a significant role — please, consider submitting to the Poetry Corner.
Following a nearly two-year-long campaign led in part by Ashland High School students, the Ashland City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the first reading of an ordinance imposing fees to discourage installation of gas appliances in new residential construction.
Launching an early start to the Oregon Cabaret Theatre’s 2025 season will be the Tony-winning musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.” Rick Robinson, the Cabaret’s managing director, said the opening on Friday, Jan. 24, will be the earliest in the theater’s 40-year history.
Oregon is preparing for what could be sweeping changes to its immigration landscape with President Donald Trump back in office. The state is home to about 120,000 undocumented immigrants. There are also tens of thousands more people living in Oregon under other designations, including those fleeing violence and persecution, workers who are here on the H-1B visa, or international students enrolled in Oregon universities. The state also has one of the broadest sanctuary laws in the U.S.
Oregon’s 90 lawmakers are beginning their work in earnest on Tuesday, Jan. 21, with about five months to pass a spending plan for the next two years, figure out how to plug a transportation funding hole and make progress on the state’s housing crisis.
Phoenix is about to bubble over with excitement with a weekend extravaganza celebrating all things fermented. Fermentopia takes center stage Saturday and Sunday at the Phoenix Civic Center. Featuring such products as sauerkraut, sourdough, kombucha and kimchi, the event promises a feast of flavors designed to leave taste buds cultured and curiosity stirred.
Talent will host winter’s quarterly Talent Art Walk on Friday, an event that brings together artists, local business owners, nonprofit leaders, and community members for an evening of art, culture, and connection. The event is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24, with some locations open until 8 p.m. at different participating locations around downtown Talent.
(It’s free)
