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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Prisoners in their own home How do you feel about new cell towers? Oregon Shakespeare Festival designer for a half-century says he's still learning Louie's to donate sales to Helman Hug Fund Ashland High School Drama Club to host Showcase Night on Thursday Education Prisoners in their own home Louie's to donate sales to Helman Hug Fund Ashland High School Drama Club to host Showcase Night on Thursday Ashland Kiwanis recognizes Samara Diab Hands-On work with robots at ScienceWorks Environment Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Legislature might be divided on clean fuels bill, but these Ashlanders weren't Ashland Rowing Club members put their backs into Emigrant Lake clean-up Business Breaking ground on organic vineyard practices Southern Oregon University: Recent and pending projects at SOU total about $132 million Test Drive: 2015 Subaru Outback Limited Silvio Calabi: 2015 Cherokee is a modern Jeep Ride & Drive: 2015 Hyundai Genesis Politics and elections Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Ballots on Jackson County marijuana tax go out today State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Kate Brown sworn in as Oregon's 38th governor Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries James Ellis York Death Notices Death Notices Shiela R. Ettlich Karen June Shaw Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Mars One attracts science fiction geeks and people who hate society Sports Latest Stories Wade scores 32, Heat rally to beat Blazers AHS grad Bailey claims national wrestling title Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Fredrickson leads Grizzlies to season-opening romp Thompson, Weber to play in all-star game High school Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Fredrickson leads Grizzlies to season-opening romp Grizz alpine skiers finish strong at state Ashland High's Honsinger tops field in final nordic ski meet Grizz snowboard team heads to state with repeat potential Southern Oregon University AHS grad Bailey claims national wrestling title Thompson, Weber to play in all-star game Beavers get No. 3 seed, host NCAA games Young shoots Ducks into Pac-12 title game Raider softball team opens league play with split at Northwest Voices Latest Stories Our View: Tuition trauma Letters to the Editor, March 19 Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet Landgren cartoon: Boston gets a ‘Frozen’ sequel Our View: SOU's economic clout Editorial Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Our view: Keep it simple in developing marijuana rules Our View: Ashland is at risk as a bad fire season looms Our View: Ashland backs residents over visitors in lodging decision Letters Letters to the Editor, March 19 Letters to the Editor, March 18 Letters to the Editor, March 17 Letters to the Editor, March 14 Letters to the Editor, March 12 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Guest Opinion: Ashland schools failed to protect my son from bullying Guest Opinion: There is nothing uniform about the Uniform Crime Report Columns Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Council Corner: City considers the sharing economy Herb Rothschild Jr.: Demonizing Putin makes case for war Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Best bets for entertainment around Ashland, March 19 Andrew Lloyd Webber's lush musical 'Sunset Boulevard' opens at Camelot Theatre in Talent Community blog: Herzog scholarship for young writers Movie listings: March 13-18 Theater Ticket Availability Andrew Lloyd Webber's lush musical 'Sunset Boulevard' opens at Camelot Theatre in Talent Oregon Shakespeare Festival designer for a half-century says he's still learning Ashland High School Drama Club to host Showcase Night on Thursday Theater review: Thanks for the Memories pulls off challenging 'Anastasia' in Ashland Music Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center The Farr Side: Madonna — ever the trendsetter Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder John McEuen performs at the Unitarian Fellowship in Ashland Alice DiMicele plays Unitarian Fellowship The Farr Side: Another career highlight for Kelly Clarkson Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie listings: March 20-26 More wonderful wrinkles at 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' 8 must-see spring films Movie review: ‘Wrecking Crew’ is a look at the people who really put the bomp Movie review: ‘Cinderella’ is an instant classic Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Movie listings: March 20-26 More wonderful wrinkles at 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' Marketta Gregory: Going home again Oregon Shakespeare Festival designer for a half-century says he's still learning Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ticket Availability ... Our View: Tuition trauma ... Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet ... Ticket Availability ... Our View: Tuition trauma ... Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet ... COUNCIL CORNER Council Corner: Solar power in Ashland's future Comment By Carol Voisin DailyTidings.com By Carol Voisin Posted Mar. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Carol Voisin Posted Mar. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter or email ... » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter or email [email protected] .   » Social News After six years of serving the citizens of Ashland as a city councilor, hearing the voice of the public during testimony and at many public events I attend, I can only say that I am in awe of our community and its citizens. We are a visionary, generous, pragmatic and often opinionated community. I know that what makes Ashland special is you — everyone who has chosen to live in a town on the side of a hill where we enjoy the benefits of world-class theater, an excellent public school system, and a vibrant regional university. Ashlanders are gracious in opening their hearts, minds and homes to visitors from every state and from around the world while honoring their community’s history and shared values. I am grateful to be a part of this caring community. Given who we are, we have the tools to face the serious issues before us with confidence. We’ve done it before; we can do it again. I‘m presenting a brief overview of some important issues the city is facing, and then highlighting what I believe we must do in the very near future. Our city’s infrastructure — electric power, water, streets, waste management — provides us with the basic services that allow us to enjoy our quality of life. Support for maintaining and improving our infrastructure must continue to be the focus of everyone in the community, not just our city officials. Ashland is indeed fortunate to own its sewer treatment plant, electric power, fiber network and water treatment plant. We pay for these vital operations through our utility rates and property taxes. The unrecognized and essential resource that we don’t have to pay for and that we use daily is nature and the beautiful setting in which we live. We are beginning to care for the amazing natural resource that is our watershed — thousands of acres of forestland that keep the snow melting slowly in the summer and into the streams that fill Reeder reservoir, our source of water. By removing the fuel for fires in these forests, they are being restored to a more natural state whereby controlled fires can keep our watershed resilient and protected from a catastrophic fire. Our responsibility for our natural surroundings doesn’t stop with this. Here is a glimpse of my vision for what we in Ashland must do within the next five years if we are to do our small part in slowing climate change. First, let’s build a solar farm on the city owned property located across the freeway. This property reaches from about Valley View Road to Eagle Mill Road and Oak, then east to the power lines. Three hundred acres out of this over 800-acre parcel is excellent for solar. In addition to this, federal and state governments are offering funding close to 50 percent for such a project. Let’s act on this to create a solar farm on city property. All we need to do is to invite businesses to bid on a project. Our costs are minimal. This is a win-win for Ashland — renewable energy at our fingertips. Such a resource can keep us from reaching Tier 2 that is far more expensive energy rates from Bonneville Power. The urgency is that Congress is threatening to take away all funding for solar in early 2016. We need to act now in order to ensure a reliable and renewable source of energy for Ashland. Another idea that we have toyed with for years is creating a trolley service downtown during the high tourist season. Dozens of tourist destination cities offer such a service. Visitors take the trolley from their hotels to downtown, to OSF, or to restaurants; and they don’t have to use their cars. This lessens the pressure on existing parking, cuts down on street congestion and carbon emissions. Let’s do a trial run this summer using the Tourist Occupancy Tax, otherwise known as the hotel/motel tax — dollars matched by business community contributions with no expense to residents, who can use the trolley. We need to stop dreaming about it and act now. We must reduce our carbon emissions and our carbon footprint now . I’ve used my word limit so must stop. I want to listen to you. I’m beginning a “Community Listening Post” on March 14 and April 3 at our library. Let’s talk about the issues before the council and our community. Watch for the Tidings ad and flier. Carol Voisin is a member of the Ashland City Council.                 By Carol Voisin DailyTidings.com By Carol Voisin Posted Mar. 10, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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