July 12, 2026

Labor

City Government

Parks director: ‘Regardless of the outcome, it’s going to be painful’

Ashland Parks & Recreation Commissioners struggled to reconcile pleas from staff and dire predictions from the department’s director in the face of 5 to 10% cuts during Wednesday’s APRC business meeting. With 10% cuts, the Senior Center would lose one full time employee and reduce hours to two days per week, the East Main Park project would be cancelled and the city would return funds to the state.

April 12, 2025

Ashland School District

Ashland School Board pursues $10 million “Full Faith and Credit Loan” to stabilize budget

At its March 13 regular board meeting, Ashland School Board members approved a resolution authorizing the district to officially let the community know about plans to pursue a “Full Faith and Credit Loan” of “a maximum principal amount of $10 million” to stabilize its operational budget, according to a district news release issued Wednesday.

March 27, 2025

Labor

Oregon bill to give striking workers unemployment pay passes Senate

Striking workers in Oregon are a step closer to being eligible for weekly unemployment checks, after a tight vote in the state Senate on Thursday. Senate Bill 916 passed by the bare minimum 16 votes in the 30-member chamber, with two Democrats bucking the rest of their party over concerns the policy could harm cash-strapped cities and counties

March 21, 2025

Business

‘Hands off our postal service!’: Ashland residents join in union protest for postal service

Ashland postal workers and supporters joined Thursday in a “Day of Action” coordinated by the U.S. Postal Service workers union, gathering at the Ashland Post Office to wave signs and hand out information.

March 20, 2025

County Government

Residents crowd Fire District 5 town hall held at frequently browned out station near Ashland

A packed open house on Saturday at Jackson County Fire District 5 Station 4 outside of Ashland offered a detailed financial update on the embattled district and a chance to discuss everything from staffing struggles to an investigation that remains under review by the Oregon Department of Justice.

March 19, 2025

Labor

Federal workers bemoan Trump cuts in town hall with Oregon Democrats

Current and former federal staffers joined Oregon Democrats in a town hall in Portland on Monday, saying President Donald Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government presents risks to Oregon life, potentially harming how the state responds to wildfires, preserves its natural resources and cares for veterans.

March 17, 2025

Labor

Oregon’s U.S. senators demand explanation for freeze on income-driven student loan repayment plans

More than 12 million Americans who took out loans from the U.S. Department of Education to attend college are now stuck in limbo about whether or not they’ll get to participate in income-driven repayment plans that have served millions of Americans before them.

March 13, 2025

County Government

Fire District 5, union OK reduced staffing limits to help cover more stations

Jackson County Fire District 5 officials and union members reached an agreement Tuesday for reduced staffing minimums on fire engines and other apparatus to better distribute service coverage during an ongoing staffing struggle.

March 12, 2025

Labor

Oregon State Parks to hire hundreds of rangers and ranger assistants

Oregon State Parks will hire more than 200 seasonal Rangers and Ranger Assistants for positions across the state for the 2025 season. Hiring starts as soon as this month and runs through about June with new positions listed on a rolling basis.

March 10, 2025

City Government

Lomakatsi: Fed funds freeze means employee layoffs, fewer prescribed burns

Forest restoration and wildfire mitigation projects have been halted and employees laid off as freezes of federal funds impact Lomakatsi Restoration Project, an Ashland-based nonprofit organization. Nearly two of every three dollars — 65% — of the nonprofit’s budget for 2025 came from the Inflation Reduction Act or the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — two pots of money affected by broad freezes of federal funds by the Trump administration.

March 7, 2025

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Ask Strider: A worried older brother asks our advice columnist’s advice. And a dog’s guardian wants to know if there is any hope getting their hat-hating dog to calm down. As always, Strider tries to give words that help!

‘Finding community in cause’: Ashland actor/director seeks to address climate change through ‘community theater with an impact’

September 26, 2025

After a successful production of “The Vagina Monologues” and raising more than $2,000 for Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon, Ashland actor and director Lia Dugal intends for “The Climate Monologues” to premiere in Oregon in late 2025 or early 2026 at the Bellview Grange in Ashland.

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Relocations: Can a grassroots movement end global violence?

September 26, 2025

Herbert Rothschild: Whether visualization and intention by themselves can effect broad social change is impossible to determine, but the question merits sustained consideration.

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