Nearly fifty years ago, the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy began its mission to protect our region’s natural treasures. Born from a grassroots movement, Land Conservancy emerged as Oregon’s first regional, nonprofit land trust, created by a community determined to protect the area’s unique natural wealth for future generations. What started as a small effort has […]
The Southern Oregon Land Conservancy has secured the 142-acre Bear Gulch Preserve, a vital stretch of forests, grasslands, and creeks in the Colestin Valley near the California border. This marks Land Conversancy’s first fee-owned preserve in the Klamath River basin and protects one of the region’s last undeveloped corridors for wildlife migration and rare plants. […]
Ashland is ramping up efforts to prepare residents for the upcoming wildfire season. City officials and volunteers are urging everyone to create “fire free zones” by clearing a five-foot buffer of rocks or bare soil around homes, and extending it to ten feet for properties with wooden features. Maintenance is key: keep gutters, roofs, and […]
The Jackson County Master Gardener Association (JCMGA) has been at the heart of the Rogue Valley’s gardening community since its founding in 1982. Originally launched as a chapter of the Oregon State University Master Gardener Program, the association’s mission is: to learn, practice, and teach the art and science of gardening to the public. The […]
The Medford City Council has unanimously approved Salem-based Slayden Constructors Inc. to lead a massive, up-to-$300 million upgrade of the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant. This three-year project will expand the facility by 25%, improving treatment for 160,000 valley residents and addressing long-standing environmental concerns. The overhaul is required by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality […]
Ashland Parks & Recreation is bracing for major program cuts after the City Council rejected a proposed utility fee aimed at closing a $1.4 million budget gap. Without new funding, closures are expected after July 1, including the city pool, ice rink, splash pad, and park restrooms. The Nature Center at North Mountain Park, along […]
A preemptive health advisory has been issued for Emigrant Lake in Jackson County after the detection of a cyanobacteria bloom. State health officials urge visitors to avoid swimming and high-speed water activities, such as water skiing or power boating, as ingesting contaminated water poses the greatest risk. While the toxins are not absorbed through the […]
Nestled in the heart of Ashland, the Oregon Cabaret Theatre stands as a beacon of entertainment, history, and community spirit. Housed in the restored “Old Pink Church,” a 1911 mission-style building, the theatre’s journey is as captivating as the performances it hosts. The building began as Ashland’s First Baptist Church and, after decades of vacancy […]
Oregon’s Senate has voted 29-0 to repeal the state’s controversial wildfire hazard map, a tool designed to identify properties at high risk for wildfire and impose stricter building codes. The map, introduced in 2021, quickly drew criticism from rural property owners and lawmakers who argued it was inaccurate and unfairly penalized thousands of Oregonians. Many […]
The Bureau of Land Management has distributed more than $27.7 million in timber revenue to 18 western Oregon counties this week. Jackson county received $4.3 million and Josephine $3.3 million. These funds, generated from timber harvested on federal public lands, play a crucial role in supporting local services like emergency response, schools, and infrastructure. BLM […]